London [UK]: “Incredible fight” and “absolutely brilliant”—that was India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s praise for Ravindra Jadeja after the all-rounder’s valiant effort in the third Test against England at Lord’s ended in heartbreak.
Chasing a modest target of 193, India collapsed under pressure from England’s pace duo—Jofra Archer and skipper Ben Stokes—who bowled extended and inspired spells. By the end of the fourth day, India were reeling at 58/4.
On the final day, Stokes and Archer tore through India’s middle order, leaving the visitors gasping at 112/8. Jadeja fought hard alongside tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, taking India agonisingly close to a miraculous win.
Bumrah, after a dogged 22-over stay, miscued a shot to Sam Cook, leaving Jadeja to pull off a near-impossible finish with just one wicket in hand. Siraj was bowled by Shoaib Bashir shortly after, collapsing to his knees in despair. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 61 off 181 balls, disbelief etched across his face.
Two days later, the BCCI released a video capturing Gambhir’s heartfelt words to Jadeja after the narrow 22-run loss that gave England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
“That was an incredible fight. The fight from Jaddu was absolutely brilliant,” Gambhir said.
Siraj, who batted for over 13 overs with Jadeja, hailed him as a rare talent. “Jaddu bhai is extraordinary—in fielding, bowling, batting. He always performs in crucial moments. Players like him are hard to find. We’re lucky to have him.”
Jadeja had earlier scored a composed 72 off 131 balls in the first innings and has now recorded four consecutive fifty-plus scores in England—a testament to his growing stature as a batter.
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate praised Jadeja’s evolution: “His batting has reached another level. In the last two Tests, he’s shown incredible consistency and calm. His defence is rock solid. He looks like a proper batter now.”
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak echoed the sentiment, saying, “Jadeja has always had the ability to handle pressure. With experience comes maturity. He delivers exactly what the team needs in tough conditions. He’s incredibly valuable.”
