Ravindra Jadeja: India's best-ever test all-rounder

[PKBasu]

After 62 tests, Jadeja has 259 wickets at an average of 23.82 runs/wicket -- better than Warne (avg 25.41) and Ashwin (23.98). Bishan Bedi had 266 wickets in 67 tests at 28.71 runs/wicket. Bedi averaged 23.99 at home, and 33.72 away. Jadeja averages 19.81 at home and 34.50 away. He is India's best-ever bowler in home conditions (among bowlers who have taken more than 50 test wickets). Ashwin averages 20.85 runs/wicket at home.
And, with a batting average of 36.88, Jadeja remains by far India's best-ever test all-rounder.

Interestingly, Jadeja has always been under-estimated and under-appreciated by the cricket fraternity (Sanjay Manjrekar merely being the most egregious). Since he was such a good batsman in domestic cricket (3 Ranji triple centuries...), he was thought of as a batting all-rounder, whereas in tests he has always been a bowling all-rounder -- with his batting developing only later in his test career. He always goes under the radar as a bowler, but this Delhi test saw him produce his best-ever bowling figures (7/42, and I saw his magic at close quarters from the enclosure just above the commentary box at the Kotla; he also ended with his best match figures of 10/110). So the Australians prepared elaborately for Ashwin, but it was Jadeja who has got most of their wickets -- 18 in the two tests so far!

[VReddy]

Agree with your views, PKB.

My only point is its unfair to make generational comparisons. The game has swung big time towards bowlers with the advent of DRS. When I was watching Cricket during the Kumble / Warne era - LBWs used to be given only when the ball was hitting the middle of middle. Pad first then bat were hardly appealed for. The pitches also were made docile and were prepared for results on the 5th day - now what the spinners were hoping for on the 4th/5th day in the past, is available from the 1st day itself, in India.

Anil Kumble with his wicket to wicket bowling and all his variations - he would have been lethal in this day and age bowling tracks and with DRS.

I feel a more apt comparison would be: what were the wickets / runs average in that era for their team / top teams and how do these spinners compare against that.

[prasen9]

In general, I agree. But, wrt allrounders, you would think it evens out right? Because they have to both bowl and bat. If his bowling figures are inflated, then by batting on the same wicket, his batting figures are deflated. He is the best batsman in tests among all our allrounders ever. That means he would have averaged in the 40s in the bygone eras.

We should normalize with era-averages but that is too much work for arm-chair people like us.

[VReddy]

Yes agree. I always felt if India had groomed him as a no. 4 bat, he would have over time become one of India's prolific batsman as he has sound defense both against pace and spin.

So in that sense, he has the skill to be your top 3 player with both bat and ball.