Indian cricket veterans Zaheer Khan and Ajinkya Rahane have questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s effectiveness in the middle of the One Day Internationals (ODIs). India’s series-deciding defeat against New Zealand In Indore on Sunday, January 18. The debate emerged after India lost the third ODI by 41 runs to take the series (2-1) – New Zealand’s first ODI series win on Indian soil.
New Zealand’s batting dominance secures victory in the series decider
New Zealand scored 337 for 8 in 50 overs first at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. The foundation of the total was a massive partnership of 219 runs for the fourth wicket Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Mitchell scored a team-high 137, while Phillips finished with a smooth 106, undoing India’s bowling plans at the middle and death.
For India, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were the standout performers with three wickets each. However, a lack of control from the rest of the bowling unit allowed New Zealand to maintain their momentum throughout the innings.
In reply, India’s chase never really gained traction after early losses at the top. Virat Kohli once again stood tall, scoring a brilliant 124 and anchoring the innings. He got support from Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) and Harshit Rana (52) but the required rate continued to rise as partnerships failed to develop.
India eventually scored 296 to give New Zealand a famous victory by 41 runs and seal a historic series win. The defeat prompted post-match analysis, focusing on India’s middle-order bowling and Jadeja’s role at this stage.
Ravindra Jadeja’s ODI performances are under scrutiny
Jadeja endured a difficult series, struggling to make an impact with either bat or ball. In three ODIs, the experienced all-rounder scored just 43 runs and failed to take a wicket, conceding 141 runs in 25 overs.
In the opening ODI in Vadodara, Jadeja went for 56 runs in nine runs. He followed that up with figures of 44 runs in eight overs at Rajkot, before conceding 41 runs from six overs in Indore in just 30 overs. Those returns raised concerns about his ability to command and impact the middle ranks.
Zahir Khan: “Imprisonment is not enough”
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Zahir highlighted how the ODI format has evolved, especially during the middle overs. According to him, bowlers can no longer play a purely content role.
“The ODI format has changed. You can’t just be a bowler in the middle,” Zahir said. He added that teams are now seeing this phase as an opportunity to change momentum, making the signing of goalkeepers imperative. Zaheer emphasized that Jadeja needs to focus on being more aggressive and effective with the ball in ODIs.
“Everyone sees this stage as an opportunity to change the momentum, so you can’t just hold back; you have to be aggressive and score runs. Ravindra Jadeja needs to focus on that aspect of his game in ODIs,” added the former India pacer.
Ajinkya Rahane: ‘It could be early’
Ajinkya Rahane echoed similar concerns, suggesting that Jadeja’s lack of variation made it easier for him to drop into the lineup. Rahane pointed out that bowling at a similar pace allows batsmen to settle down, especially with just one fielder outside the circle.
He compared Jadeja’s approach to that of Axar Patel, highlighting how changes in pace, angles and use of the crease can disrupt the batting.
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“You have to have variations in ODIs. Although Jadeja is a proven performer in the conditions, he bats at the same pace and is predictable. It’s easy for a bowler to keep the same pace with only one pitch. With Akhar, he has variations; changes pace and uses angles at the crease. Jadeja really understands his competition. good game.” said Rahane.
Rahane also emphasized the importance of evolving with the conditions, saying that while Jadeja is deadly on the swings, flatter wickets require adaptation and new plans.
“Jadeja likes to keep his bowling simple. But you have to evolve based on the conditions. He’s deadly on the turn. But on the straight wicket, he’ll have to adjust and come up with different plans, using the angles better,” added the former India Test captain.
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