Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has urged his long-time spin partner Ravindra Jadeja to experiment instead of just sticking to his strengths. Ashwin admitted that the veteran spin bowling all-rounder is facing challenging times in ODIs, with Axar Patel ready to take his place if there is a major lapse.
Ravichandran Ashwin shares his views on Ravindra Jadeja’s recent perfromance
Jadeja’s struggles continued after the Champions Trophy 2025 as he had another poor performance with both bat and ball in the last ODI against New Zealand in Indore. He gave away 41 runs in 6 overs without taking any wicket and scored a slow 16 runs in 12 balls.
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Jadeja has been going through a bad phase since winning the ICC Champions Trophy title last year. He has taken only one wicket in 6 ODIs. With the bat, he has scored 99 runs in 5 innings at an average of 24.75 with a best score of 32, but his strike rate has dropped to 88.39.
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In the first ODI in Vadodara, Ravindra Jadeja conceded 56 runs and scored just 4 runs. In Rajkot, he conceded 44 runs and scored 27 runs with the bat. In the decisive match in Indore, he conceded 41 runs and was dismissed for 12 after playing an unnecessary shot. Former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has advised Jadeja to experiment rather than relying solely on his strengths.
According to Ashwin, this is a difficult time for Jadeja in ODIs, as Axar Patel is ready to replace him if he makes a major mistake. Jadeja’s performance has been poor since the 2025 Champions Trophy. During ‘Ash Ki Baat’ on the YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “This is a very difficult time for Jadeja. We know that Axar Patel is right behind him. The truth is that Jadeja has performed well in ODIs, he is also playing the Test format. But it is not easy for Jadeja because it is more about his batting. There is talk about his low strike rate against spinners. It is too early to talk about anyone’s cricket or future.”
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Ashwin further said, “After this, there is the T20 World Cup and the IPL. Jadeja will play in the IPL and a decision will be taken based on his performance there. It would be premature to make any decisions about anyone right now.” He urged him to experiment more. He said, “As a legend in this game, he has nothing to lose.”
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Ashwin said, “Jadeja’s strength sometimes becomes his weakness. Sometimes I get jealous of the kind of talent he has in batting, bowling and fielding. But he doesn’t do one thing, he never goes beyond his strengths. He has never really experimented with new things. He is a true legend. He has nothing to lose, so I would like to see him experiment. I have seen him bowl the carrom ball in net practice, but he has never done it in a match. It would be nice to see him get a little funky.”
