Ravindra Jadeja becomes fifth Indian to claim 600 international wickets

Nagpur: Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday became only the fifth Indian bowler to reach 600 international wickets across three formats. The all-rounder achieved this feat in the first ODI against England at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

Jadeja reached the landmark with his third scalp of the match, finishing with figures of 3-26 in nine overs as India bundled out visitors for 248 in 47.4 overs.

Jadeja is now part of an elite club of Indian bowlers who have crossed the 600-wicket mark, joining the esteemed ranks of Anil Kumble (953), Ravichandran Ashwin (765), Harbhajan Singh (707) and Kapil Dev (687).

Jadeja made an impact immediately after being introduced into the attack in the 15th over, extracting a sharp turn from the surface. While Axar Patel bowled before him, it was Jadeja’s experience that proved decisive in the battle of left-arm spinners in the ODI series opener.

Jadeja claimed his first wicket of the match by surprising Joe Root with a quicker delivery, trapping him lbw. He then delivered a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Jacob Bethell, who had scored 51 runs, in a similar fashion.

His final scalp came when he clean bowled Adil Rashid, wrapping up an impressive spell.

Since making his international debut in 2009, Jadeja has been India’s go-to player across all three formats. His versatility as a bowler, batter, and fielder has made him a true match-winner over the years.

His numbers across formats speak volumes about his all-round brilliance. In Tests, Jadeja has 323 wickets with 3,370 runs. In ODIs, he has 223 wickets in 198 matches, including two five-wicket hauls.

Jadeja retired from T20Is after India clinched the 2024 T2OI World Cup title last year.

With over 200 ODI wickets, Jadeja is among seven Indian bowlers to achieve this feat, joining the likes of Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Harbhajan Singh.

IANS