For almost seven years after making his Test debut in December 2012, Ravindra Jadeja mostly batted at No. 8, sometimes moving up or down a spot. He was seen as a left-arm spinner who could swing the bat a bit lower in the order, which showed in his stats—an average of 32.50 over 43 Tests, a strike rate of 62.87, with one century and 11 fifties.

Those batting figures aren’t too shabby for a bowler who usually plays a more defensive role outside of Asia. But honestly, Jadeja has always been a much better batsman than those numbers suggest. The issue was that he didn’t fully believe it, especially in the Test arena.

Since October 2019, though, Jadeja has become a regular fixture in the top six. His batting has improved so much that India has even slotted him in at No. 5, where he scored 112 against England in Rajkot in February when the team was struggling at 33 for three. In the 35 Tests since October 2019, Jadeja has averaged 38.93. While taking on the responsibility of batting higher up has led to a drop in his strike rate (now at 51.31), his effectiveness has skyrocketed—three of his four centuries have come in the last five years, establishing him as a dependable batting option rather than just a hit-or-miss player.

Jadeja really knows how to step up when the pressure's on, especially when the team is in a tough spot. Whether he's playing at home, where he can handle almost any pitch except the really extreme turners, or overseas in SENA countries where the ball is bouncing and moving around, he stays patient and waits for the right opportunities. His confidence is contagious, boosting the morale of his teammates, whether it's a veteran like KL Rahul or a newcomer like Nitish Kumar Reddy trying to prove himself.

You could really see Jadeja's batting intelligence shine through at the Gabba on Tuesday. Coming in at No. 7 after sitting out the last two Tests, he entered the game when India was struggling at 74 for five. Rahul was batting beautifully, but he was running low on partners and patience. With Australia having posted 445, the 172 runs needed to force them to bat again felt like a long shot.

Ravindra Jadeja's innings on Day 4 of the Gabba Test was impressive.

Jadeja wasn't bothered by any of that. Right from the start, he concentrated on staying at the crease. He’s smart enough to notice that the challenge was easing with the older Kookaburra ball. By the time he came in, the ball was already 23.3 overs old. If he could just hang in there for about an hour, batting would start to get enjoyable.

That’s the approach the 36-year-old took. In the beginning, he kept leaving the ball, feeling confident with his partner at the other end, who was playing at a whole different level compared to his struggling teammates. Rahul and Jadeja have a great chemistry, skillfully placing the ball in tight spots and sneaking in singles to keep the scoreboard ticking along steadily. After about 45 minutes at the crease, Jadeja started to feel more at ease, hitting his first boundary with a swept four off Nathan Lyon, the only bowler at the Gabba who could rely on bounce.

Jadeja's batting style is all about simplicity. He doesn’t make any big gestures at the crease or show off with flashy moves. He’s the definition of getting things done without any fuss, fully embracing the less glamorous side of the game because it works for him. The only time he really shows off is with his signature left-handed bat-twirl celebration when he hits a milestone. He once said, “I’m a Rajput, but I can’t bring a sword to the field, so I use my bat as one.” Fans love it, and over 6,000 people at the Gabba cheered when he reached fifty.

Jadeja played a key role in helping Rahul add 67 runs and then partnered with Nitish, who showed some smart cricketing skills by focusing on building his innings instead of playing aggressively like he did in the first two Tests. Their partnership added 53 runs, and it wasn’t until No. 10 Jasprit Bumrah came to bat that Jadeja started to take some risks. He had a brief moment of success before getting caught in the deep. His 77 runs didn’t completely secure India past the follow-on target, but it was crucial in getting them closer. India really needs to reconsider any thoughts of leaving this warrior out of the lineup and just put those ideas to rest.

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