Former India coach Greg Chappell has questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s effectiveness as a spinner in English conditions, suggesting that he may not be the right fit for the upcoming second Test. As the India and England teams prepare for the second Test of the five-match series—set to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston, Birmingham—Chappell has advised the Shubman Gill-led side to reconsider Jadeja’s place in the playing XI.
Jadeja featured in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, but had a quiet outing with both bat and ball. He managed scores of 11 and an unbeaten 25 across two innings, and failed to make an impact with the ball—going wicketless in the first innings and claiming just one in the second, despite spin-friendly conditions over the final two days.
Greg Chappell, Importantly, Jadeja was India’s sole frontline spinner in the match. India also suffered lower-order batting collapses in both innings. England chased down a target of 371 comfortably, thanks to a dominant 149-run knock from Ben Duckett.
Greg Chappell: Jadeja Not a Front-Line Spinner in English Conditions
In his column for ESPNcricinfo, former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell questioned India’s decision to field Ravindra Jadeja as the lead spinner in the first Test. Chappell argued that Jadeja is better suited to a supporting role when playing in English conditions.
“Jadeja is not a front-line spinner in England,” Chappell wrote. “If his batting is deemed valuable enough, he can be included as a secondary spinner. Otherwise, India need to reconsider their team balance. A more well-rounded XI is essential if they want to turn the series around.”
Greg Chappell also criticized the idea of including an extra batter who can bowl part-time, calling it an unnecessary precaution. “The top six must be trusted to score the runs, and the focus should be on picking the best bowling attack capable of taking 20 wickets,” he added.
In the opening Test, Jasprit Bumrah stood out with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, while the rest of the Indian bowlers struggled to make an impact. Bumrah, however, went wicketless in the second innings as the English batters adopted a more cautious approach against him.
Looking ahead, Shubman Gill and his team will be aiming to bounce back in the second Test at Edgbaston, with likely changes expected in the playing XI.