Kamal Ghorui
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concern over Ravindra Jadeja’s cautious approach against spin, highlighting a long-standing issue in his T20 game.Since the 2020 IPL season, Jadeja has struggled to accelerate against slower bowlers, often allowing opposition captains to use spin as a containment strategy during the middle overs. Between 2020 and 2025, his strike rate against spin hovered around 94.28, among the lowest for regular middle-order batters, while averaging just 21.22 against slow bowling since 2018. His struggles are particularly evident against spinners who turn the ball away from him, where his strike rate dips well below 100.The trend has continued into IPL 2026. Jadeja has managed only two sixes in 117 balls so far this season, and his boundary percentage against all types of bowling remains low. These numbers reinforce the perception that he is not looking to dominate the middle overs but rather absorb pressure.While Jadeja remains a reliable finisher against pace, his role this season for Rajasthan Royals appears more passive, tasked with stabilising the innings during spin-heavy phases instead of taking the attack to the bowlers. This approach was evident in yesterday’s clash against Delhi Capitals, where Jadeja was promoted ahead of Donovan Ferreira but failed to make a significant impact. He scored 20 off 14 balls before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc.Ashwin was candid in his assessment:“Many people, including coaches, have spoken to Ravindra Jadeja about taking on spinners more aggressively, but he is not listening. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, whenever India needed a left-hander up the order, they chose Axar Patel over the more experienced Jadeja. The reason is simple, Axar doesn’t hesitate. He takes on spinners and every other bowler with confidence,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat. Ashwin also drew a comparison between Jadeja and MS Dhoni, suggesting a shared mindset.”This mindset of Ravindra Jadeja is similar to MS Dhoni, with whom he has shared many years in the Indian team. Both prefer to take the game deep and target the pacers,” Ashwin added.
