Stat Attack: Ravindra Jadeja Creates World Record, Enters Elite List
Mar 26, 2017 at 7:16 PM
The ongoing home season has been a terrific one for India, as the Virat Kohli led unit has achieved phenomenal success. Things started in September against New Zealand at Kanpur, and from there on, it was like a movie script as the team conquered all opponents one after the other.
In all those victories, India’s biggest asset has been Ravindra Jadeja without much of a doubt. In this very season, Jadeja has gone on to achieve tremendous success not just with the ball alone, but even as a handy batsman lower down the order. The all-rounder had great outings against New Zealand and England and is carrying on the same against Australia.
As India battle it out in the final game of the season at Dharamshala, Jadeja has scripted another memorable record and entered an absolutely elite list. In the 2016/17 season so far, the southpaw has scored 509* runs and has taken a jaw-dropping tally of 68 wickets.
By doing so, Jadeja has become just the third player in the history of Test cricket, to score 500 runs and take over 50 wickets in a single season. This has been a remarkable feat from someone who is clearly emerging as India’s go-to man in crunch situations.
Apart from Jadeja, the other two members of this prestigious list are Kapil Dev and Mitchell Johnson. The 1983 World Cup winning captain scored 535 runs and took 63 wickets in 1979/80 and was an absolute gem for India.
In the 2008/09 season, it was Australian pace gun Mitchell Johnson rewriting the record books. With 527 runs and 60 wickets, Johnson was Australia’s biggest asset in that particular season, as he had a productive outing against the South Africans.
With Jadeja entering yet another elite list, a lot will depend upon all rounder tomorrow at Dharamshala. If he can spend some time in the middle, India will eye a decent lead, which could well be series winning.
500 runs and 50 wickets in a single season:
- Kapil Dev – 535 runs, 63 wickets – 1979/80
- Mitchell Johnson – 527 runs, 60 wickets – 2008/09
- Ravindra Jadeja – 509* runs, 68* wickets – 2016/17