Ravindra Jadeja becomes second left-arm spinner to accomplish this feat
Veteran Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has completed 200 wickets in home Tests. He accomplished the milestone with his first scalp on Day 3 of the ongoing third Test against England in Rajkot. Jadeja, who scored a ton earlier in the game, has also completed 500 wickets in First-Class cricket. Though he was expensive early on, he eventually finished with two wickets.
A fine spell from Jadeja
Jadeja dismissed the dangerous Ben Stokes (41) to open his account in the game. The latter mistimed a big shot as Jasprit Bumrah took a fine catch at mid-on. Tom Hartley (9), who was stumped, was Jadeja's other victim. He finished with 2/51 (10 overs).
Fifth Indian bowler to get this feat
Notably, Jadeja has become only the fifth Indian bowler to accomplish 200 Test wickets at home (201). He has joined greats like Anil Kumble (350), Ravichandran Ashwin (347), Harbhajan Singh (265), and Kapil Dev (219). 10 of Jadeja's 12 Test fifers and both his match 10-wicket hauls have come at home. Playing his 42nd home Test, Jadeja averages 21.08 in the sub-continent.
Second left-arm spinner to get this feat
Overall, Jadeja has become just the second left-arm spinner to complete 200 Test wickets at home. He has joined Sri Lankan legend Rangana Herath, who finished with 278 wickets in this regard at 23.65. Meanwhile, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc (217) is the only other left-arm bowler with 200-plus wickets in home Tests.
Here are his overall Test numbers
Jadeja, who made his Test debut in December 2012, has now raced to 282 scalps in 70 games, averaging 24.43. The tally includes 12 fifers and a couple of match 10-wicket hauls. 58 of his wickets have come against England at 35.75. As mentioned, his 200th wicket in home Tests was also his 500th wicket in First-Class cricket (4W: 22, 5W: 31).
7,000 FC runs for Jadeja
With the bat, Jadeja, who scored 112 in India's first innings, has hammered 7,101 FC runs, averaging 45-plus. The tally includes 13 tons and 37 fifties. Notably, he owns three FC triple-tons. 3,005 of his runs have come in Tests. He became the third Indian all-rounder after Ashwin and Kapil to accomplish the Test double of 250 wickets and 3,000 runs.
How has the match proceeded?
Despite a poor start, India managed to compile a mammoth total of 445 courtesy of centuries from Rohit Sharma and Jadeja. Debutants Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel were also brilliant. Mark Wood starred for England with 4/114. In reply, England managed 319 as opener Ben Duckett starred with a whirlwind 153. Mohammed Siraj took four wickets. India earned a 126-run first innings lead.
