'Saw Ravindra Jadeja fight but....': Sourav Ganguly questions India's top order grit after Lord's defeat

Former India captain Saurav Ganguly criticized Team India for their inability to chase down 193 runs at Lord's. India must have felt pleased after bowling out England for 192 in their second innings, yet they ultimately lost by 22 runs despite having a strong batting lineup. Aside from KL Rahul (39) and Ravindra Jadeja (61*), none of the other batsmen managed to score more than 20 runs. Although the pitch was not easy to bat on, given the strength of India's batting, the team must feel disappointed to be trailing 2-1 in the series.

During an event, Ganguly remarked that India could have secured victory if the top order had displayed a bit more determination.

“A little bit disappointed. With the way India batted in this series, they should have got this 190. When you saw Jadeja fight and score the runs, batting quality in this team and they will be more disappointed then I am because it was an opportunity to get 2-1 up in the series against England. I am sure that they will be disappointed not getting to 190, especially with the quality of batsmanship they have in that dressing room,” he said.

“If there was even a little bit of fight from the top, this game would have been India’s match.”

Despite the top order's failure, Ravindra Jadeja, alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, demonstrated remarkable resilience. Bumrah and Jadeja contributed 35 runs for the ninth wicket, with Bumrah facing over 50 deliveries. Additionally, Jadeja partnered with Siraj to add 23 runs for the last wicket, but the tailender was dismissed in an unfortunate manner after defending the ball, which then rolled onto the stumps. Ganguly praised Jadeja, labeling him a special player.

“Jadeja has been exceptional, he is going to continue to play for India as long as he bats and performs like this. He has been around for a long time. He has played some 80 Test matches and more than 200 one-day games. You can see him batting, bowling, and fielding. He is a special player and his batting has really improved over the years with the experience. He is a special player and very important part of this team,” he added.

The defeat at Lord's has reignited discussions regarding India's batting strategy in foreign conditions, particularly following a similar collapse in the last Test. Fans are now keenly anticipating the team management's reaction and any possible adjustments as they aim to recover in the remaining matches of the series. Ganguly's pointed criticism will certainly increase the pressure on the underperforming batsmen to perform in the forthcoming games.

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