Ravindra Jadeja of Rajasthan Royals (AP Photo)
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concern over Ravindra Jadeja’s cautious approach against spin, highlighting a long-standing problem in his T20 game.Since the 2020 IPL season, Jadeja has struggled to pace against slower bowlers, often allowing the opposition captains to use spin as a containment strategy during the middle overs. Between 2020 and 2025, his strike rate against spin has hovered around 94.28, among the lowest for middle-order batsmen, while he has averaged just 21.22 against slow bowling since 2018. His struggles are particularly evident against spinners who turn the ball away from him, with his strike rate dipping below 100.This trend has continued till IPL 2026. Jadeja has managed just two sixes in 117 balls so far this season, and his boundary percentage against all types of bowling remains low. These numbers reinforce the perception that he is not looking to control the midfield but rather to absorb pressure.While Jadeja remains a reliable pacer, his role this season for Rajasthan Royals appears to be more passive, as he has been tasked with stabilizing the innings during heavy phases rather than taking the attack to the bowlers.
This approach was evident in yesterday’s match against Delhi Capitals, where Jadeja rose ahead of Donovan Ferreira but failed to make a significant impact. He scored 20 off 14 balls before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc.Ashwin was frank in his assessment:“Many people, including coaches, have talked to Ravindra Jadeja about taking spinners harder, but he doesn’t listen. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, whenever India needed a left-handed bowler up the order, they picked Axar Patel instead of the more experienced Jadeja.
The reason is simple, Axar doesn’t hesitate. “He handles the spinners and every other bowler with confidence,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.
Ashwin also drew a comparison between Jadeja and MS Dhoni, suggesting a shared mindset.“Ravindra Jadeja’s mentality is similar to that of MS Dhoni, with whom he played for many years in the Indian team. Both prefer to take the game deep and target players,” Ashwin added.
