England were put in a complex situation right from the get-go in the ongoing second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. Taking on India in Birmingham, the clash saw the visitors batting first, and they got off to an excellent start to the game through Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 87-run knock.
Furthermore, skipper Shubman Gill topped it off by posting 269 runs on the board as well. Alongside Gill, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was magnificent for his side as well. Amassing 89 runs in 137 deliveries, Jadeja helped India post a mammoth total of 587 runs in the first innings of the game.
Seeing the all-rounder’s performance, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan took centre stage and lauded the 36-year-old’s resolve and determination to put in an excellent performance.
"The shots he played off the back foot, especially the fours he hit between cover and mid-off, were difficult shots. You can lose your wicket playing those shots if the ball is slightly quicker or bounces more. However, he was trying to get on top of the ball. He couldn't do that when he got out because the ball was more towards the body. However, he didn't have any trouble whenever he got even slight width," Pathan told Sony Sports.
Ajay Jadeja hailed Jadeja’s knock as well
Part of the same discussion, former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja opined that Ravindra Jadeja’s knock in the first innings was extremely crucial, stating that his knock helped India reach the total of 587 runs in the first innings.
"It was a crucial knock from this match and the entire series' context because this was the stage due to which you made three changes after the first test. Back-to-back wickets had fallen when he came in. When there are troubled thoughts within a team, and you go and do that at the same stage, as a team, you start feeling that you have improved, as the previous mistake didn't happen this time," he said.
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