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R Ashwin feels Ravindra Jadeja’s potential is being wasted at number seven and India can trust him to bat in the top-four.
Ravindra Jadeja has batted at number four only twice in ODIs (Image: AP)
Recently-retired Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has suggested India to bat Ravindra Jadeja at number four, Hardik Pandya at five and Axar Patel at six in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE.
Ashwin feels Jadeja is underutilized at his usual position of number seven and the position is ‘too low’ to utilise his full potential. He thinks putting three all-rounders from number four-seven can give India batting depth, two left-handed batting options, and extra variety in bowling.
“I genuinely think Jadeja’s batting potential won’t come out much in one-day cricket. He’s playing very low,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “He is not a number 7. Even in Test cricket, for a long time, he has been playing in a batting position that pushes him to number 5. If you send him to number 5 and let him play under pressure in some games, even why not at number 4? I have thought about it.”
“To let him play, we can give him an elongated number of games. Because you have all-rounders, top 5 bowlers, and top 6 bowlers, you have two of them, Hardik Pandya and Jadeja. As far as I know, both of them can bat anywhere from 4 to 7. This is my thought. I have always rated Jadeja very highly,” he said.
Ashwin rejected the idea that promoting Jadeja to the top four would be a ‘gamble’, pointing to his cameo of 15 (6) in the IPL 2023 final that won Chennai Super Kings (CSK) the title.
“A guy has been playing for so many years. In a big tournament, he has a chance to play well under pressure. In the IPL final, in the last over, he has to score 10 runs in 2 balls. He is showing consistently that he can stand up under pressure. If you send that guy to a big tournament at 4 or 5, what will happen? That is a big gamble. How big is a gamble really? Or what is a gamble? I don’t think there is such a thing,” Ashwin said.
“I don’t have any doubt about their pedigree. Maybe, it might not happen in the future. But I think that is a real [good option]. You think about it. Jadeja at 4. Hardik at number 5. When you ask what he will do at number 6, for example, everyone is saying that Axar can be a top 5 batter. So, Jaddu, Hardik, and Axar. Even if it is 4, 5, 6, three of them are giving all-round options. You can play a keeper-batter at number 7…” he added.
Jadeja has batted at number four twice in ODIs, with the latest one coming in August 2023 against Zimbabwe. He scored 48* (77) in that match.
If India puts three all-rounders from four-seven in the ODI 11, it’ll mean dropping Shreyas Iyer and asking the wicketkeeper to be the finisher. In this scenario, KL Rahul is unlikely to be trusted for that role, so the other ‘keeper, Rishabh Pant, will then be the number seven behind three all-rounders.
