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Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt feels Ravindra Jadeja and India's pace bowlers looked flat on Day 4 of the Oval Test. According to Butt, left-arm spinner Jadeja was inconsistent and did not hit the patches as often as he should have.
Chasing a target of 368, England made a bright start to their innings and reached 77 for no loss at stumps on Day 4. Haseeb Hameed returned unbeaten on 43 and Rory Burns on 31.
While praising England’s openers, Butt pointed out that neither India’s pacers not Jadeja made them play enough balls.
Butt said on his YouTube channel:
“England openers batted very well on Day 4. At the same time, Indian bowlers did not make them play the new ball. They should have attacked the stumps but Bumrah and Umesh Yadav bowled too many deliveries outside the off stump, which the batters could easily leave.”
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The former Pakistan batter added that India will need a much better effort out of Jadeja on Day 5 if they are to win the Test. Butt opined:
“As for Jadeja, whenever he bowled balls in the patches, he got it to turn sharply and jump. But, Jadeja did not consistently hit the patches. He was bowling full tosses, short-pitched deliveries and not bowling in the patches as often as he should have. You cannot win a Test match like this. You have to bowl consistently in one area and maintain good line and length.”
He also felt that India missed a trick by not trying out Shardul Thakur despite the other four bowlers proving ineffective. Butt stated:
“The bowlers were resting for one and a half days, so they should have gone all out. But there was no venom in India’s bowling on Day 4. India’s bowling was flat and their pace too was on the lower side. India missed a trick by not bowling Shardul Thakur with the new ball.”
Jasprit Bumrah bowled seven in the last session of play on Day 4 while Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj sent down six each. As expected, Jadeja bowled the most - 13 overs.
“Jadeja will play a massive role on Day 5” - Vikram Rathour
Although Jadeja went wicketless on Sunday, Team India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour asserted that he will have a big role to play on Day 5 considering the rough on offer.
He also defended Jadeja, stating that he bowled well on Day 4 but did not have much luck going his way. The batting coach said at a post-day conference:
"Jadeja will play a massive role on Day 5 of the Test. It will be a fifth day wicket and there is rough outside the left-handers’ off stump. He bowled really well today (Sunday). I thought he bowled with a lot of control. In the last 5-6 overs that he bowled, he did create a lot of opportunities. Tomorrow (Monday), with a little bit of luck, Jadeja can turn those opportunities into wickets. So yes, he is going to play a very important role on the last day."
Jadeja has claimed four wickets in the series so far at an average of 62.50.
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