Ravindra Jadeja He has long been the heartbeat of India’s Test team – a cricketer who has evolved from a promising left-arm spinner to one of the most complete all-rounders of the modern era. Be it with the bat, the ball or in the field, Jadeja’s presence has consistently shaped matches in all conditions, making him indispensable to India’s red-ball plans. On the second day of the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens, this legacy became even stronger.
Kapil Jadeja equals Kapil Dev’s prestigious record
The historic moment came when Jadeja bowled a ball through covers to cross the 4,000-run mark in Test cricket. By doing so, he became only the second Indian after Pratistha Kapil Dev – Creating a remarkable double record of 4,000 Test runs and more than 300 wickets. It is a milestone that not only reflects Jadeja’s consistency but also underlines his status among cricket’s top all-rounders.
Jadeja has now joined Kapil in this rare club, which shows how influential he has been in both disciplines over the years. Kapil finished with 5,248 runs and 434 wickets, while Jadeja has already crossed 338 wickets and counting – a testament to his longevity and match-winning ability.
Only the fourth player to achieve a special double in Test history
This achievement becomes even more extraordinary when placed in a global context. Jadeja is now the fourth cricketer in Test history to complete 4,000 runs and 300 wickets – a list which includes:
- Kapil Dev (India): 5,248 runs and 434 wickets
- Ian Botham (England): 5,200 runs and 383 wickets
- Daniel Vettori (New Zealand): 4,531 runs and 362 wickets
- Ravindra Jadeja (India): 4,000+ runs and 338 wickets*
Jadeja reached this milestone in his 88th Test, making him the second fastest among the four players. Only ian botham Double achieved in 72 matches. This highlights how quickly Jadeja has progressed, especially considering that his bowling was dominant in his early years.
The battle on the second day at Eden Gardens keeps the Test in a delicate situation
The milestone came during a tense period of the game for India. After bowling out South Africa for 159 on the first day, India were looking to regain complete control but ended with 189 in their first innings with a slender lead of 30 runs.
KL RahulFighting 39, one faster than 27 Rishabh PantAnd Jadeja’s valuable contribution took the innings forward, but South Africa’s simon harmer Proved to be a big destroyer, finishing with an excellent 4/30. The Eden pitch has already shown signs of variable bounce and remarkable turn – the conditions are ripe for a player of Jadeja’s skill as the match reaches its decisive stages.
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