IND vs ENG: 3 Players Ravindra Jadeja Could Replace in India's Playing XI for the Third Test Against England

Indian Cricket fans got a huge boost on Thursday after it came to light that Ravindra Jadeja is fit. The 35-year-old had injured his hamstring during the first Test match in Hyderabad. This prompted Ravindra Jadeja to sit out of the next Test match in Visakhapatnam. 

With the third Test set to be played in Rajkot, it is a great chance for Jadeja to play in front of his home fans. In his very first appearance at this venue, the Indian all-rounder scored a memorable maiden Test ton vs West Indies. 

In this article, we look at the three players Ravindra Jadeja could replace if he plays the third Test. 

Kuldeep Yadav – 

India’s left-arm wrist spinner played just his first Test match for over 13 months. The 29-year-old picked four wickets with the ball during the Vizag Test. Kuldeep Yadav gave India a huge breakthrough when he dismissed Zak Crawley in the 2nd innings. 

While Kuldeep Yadav is an amazing bowler, his batting left much to be desired. Ravindra Jadeja is more likely to replace the Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI. With a half-century in the first Test, the 35-year-old is in prime form with the bat. 

Axar Patel – 

30-year-old Axar Patel has been amazing with the bat during the series with 133 runs so far. It is with the ball that his form has been looking way too patchy. Axar Patel has picked up just four wickets during the four innings of the series so far. His economy rate during the series so far has also been on the higher side. 

The game in Rajkot may see a lot of turns and this is where Ravindra Jadeja can replace Axar Patel. With nearly 280 Test wickets, Jadeja is India’s best left-arm spin bowler. Jadeja's familiarity with the wickets in Rajkot will also help India to keep their three-spinner option alive. 

Rajat Patidar – 

India’s latest Test debutant Rajat Patidar had a quiet game with the bat. Shreyas Iyer was pushed to number 4 after KL Rahul also missed the second test. With Rahul set to be back and Iyer likely to bat at number 5, Rajat Patidar could miss out. 

The reason behind this is Ravindra Jadeja could bat at number 6. KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel could bat at 7 with Ravichandran Ashwin at 8. Ravindra Jadeja’s re-entry into the team only means that Rajat Patidar could be yet again in the reserves.