India vs SA: Jadeja's Test landmark overshadowed by noise over pitch

For years, Ravindra Jadeja has got used to not being appreciated enough for his contribution to Indian cricket, across formats. It was, hence, not a surprise on Saturday when a major landmark of the senior allrounder in Tests got overshadowed by the outrage over the Eden Gardens wicket.

Interestingly, it came on a day that marked his return to Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026 with one of the most talked about trades with Chennai Super Kings. 'Jaddu', the 36-year-old who wears his seniority pretty lightly, became only the fourth cricketer in history to score over 4,000 runs and pick up over 300 wickets in the longest format of the game.

A look at the other names in the club makes one ponder over the quality and longevity of the performer that Jadeja has been since his international debut in 2009. Kapil Dev (5,248 runs; 434 wickets in 131 matches), Ian Botham (5,200 runs; 383 wickets in 102 matches) and Daniel Vettori (4,531 runs and 362 wickets in 113 matches) are the only ones who have managed the feat before Jadeja. 

Just think — he was the quickest to reach the ‘double’ in 88 Test matches, accumulating 4,017 runs (after India’s first innings) at an average of close to 40. His mingy left-arm spin has fetched him 338 wickets in the format at an average of 25.25 — with 15 five-wicket hauls in Tests, a record overtaken only by Jasprit Bumrah after the first innings of the ongoing Test.

From a precocious rookie whom the late Shane Warne once called a ‘rockstar’ as Jadeja made an IPL debut at the Royals under him, Jadeja has come a long way, but the media glare has often escaped him. Only last year, the 36-year-old quit the T20 format along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after they ended an ICC title drought with the T20 World Cup, but his exit went more or less under the radar.

Jadeja has averaged above 38 with the bat, with six hundreds and 27 fifties — no mean feat when one takes into account that he has always low down the order. His strong rearguard action in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has now earned him a regular no. 6 spot from Gautam Gambhir — and Jadeja is revelling in the responsibility, showing it's not for nothing that he is ranked the ICC's world no.1 Test allrounder.

Now back in the Pink Army, Jadeja is expected to play a player-mentor’s role in Rajasthan Royals, while either of the Young Turks, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, can take over the captaincy. Jadeja was part of the Royal’s iconic first batch which won the inaugural IPL title in 2008 under Warne's captaincy, the team being later nominated for Laureus Team of the Year award.