Ravindra Jadeja has set an unwanted Test record during the second Test against Sri Lanka. The India all-rounder has bowled more no-balls than any other spinner in Test cricket since 2021, with his tally now reaching 88. The left arm spinner added four more to the count during the ongoing series against Sri Lanka. He bowled three no-balls in the first innings of the second Test in Colombo and another in the second innings. He had also overstepped four times in the first Test in Galle. Pakistan’s Noman Ali is second on the list with 40 no-balls. Sri Lanka’s Lasith Embuldeniya follows with 33, while England’s Jack Leach has 19.
Jomel Warrican of the West Indies and Afghanistan’s Zahir Khan are next with 17 each. The numbers show how far ahead Jadeja is. The five bowlers below him on the list have 126 no-balls combined which is only 38 more than Jadeja’s individual tally. India’s spinners also had a tough Test when it came to overstepping in Colombo. The spin attack bowled 10 no-balls in the match, the third-highest total by a spin attack in a Test since 2021. The veteran spinner's no-ball problem has already cost him a wicket once in the series. In Galle, one of his oversteps came when Dhananjaya de Silva was dismissed only for that to be a no-ball and he was reprieved.
Ravindra Jadeja Becomes Fifth Indian Bowler to Take 350 Test Wickets
During the Sri Lanka Test series, Jadeja became only the fifth Indian bowler to take 350 Test wickets. This milestone put him into an elite group of Indian bowlers. Only Anil Kumble, R. Ashwin, Kapil Dev and Harbhajan Singh had reached the mark before him. Jadeja is also the first Indian left-arm spinner to take 350 Test wickets. Among left-arm spinners worldwide, only Rangana Herath and Daniel Vettori have taken more Test wickets. He also became only the fourth player in Test history to score at least 4,000 runs and take 350 wickets, following Kapil Dev, Ian Botham and Vettori. He reached the mark faster than most of the players.
Ravindra Jadeja has played 90 Tests and scored more than 4117 runs at an average of close to 38. He has six centuries and 28 fifties, with a highest score of 175. With the ball, Jadeja has taken more than 350 wickets at an average of roughly 25. His best Test figures are 7/42. At the age of 37, Jadeja continues to be one of India's most dependable Test all-rounders. He is currently only part of the Test format after announcing his retirement from T20I. The left arm spinner has been dropped from the ODI squad but continues to be a crucial player in the red ball format for India.
