“Just to frustrate Sanjay Manjrekar” – Twitter goes berserk as Ravindra Jadeja comes out to bat at No.5 at The Oval

If the selection surprises for the Oval Test weren’t enough, Team India dropped a major bombshell by sending out all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja to bat at no.5, ahead of vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Fans were left confused by the decision even as experts scrambled to find the correct rationale. One school of thought suggests that the management wanted to maintain the left hand-right hand combination at the crease to unsettle the England bowlers. Jadeja has certainly looked more technically correct than the only other southpaw in the Indian team, Pant, in the series and has also scored more runs than him.

A more radical logic would be them trying out Ravindra Jadeja up the order in order to protect Rahane and Pant from the new ball, something like a semi-night watchman. Sunil Gavaskar on air even suggested that perhaps Rahane wasn’t ready with his gear to come out to bat and thus Ravindra Jadeja had to go ahead.

Nevertheless, Twitterati had their own logics, opinions, one-liners, and best of all, memes, in their reactions to the decision. The following are the best of the lot:

For all the talk that Kohli, Rahane and Shastri keep coming up with, suggesting that Rahane is a man for crisis, you send Jadeja ahead of Rahane when there’s an actual crisis. Is Kohli protecting his favourite players?#INDvsEND

— Shashwat Kumar (@Shashwat_68) September 2, 2021

Sticking Jadeja up the order because he’s been in nick is such a Cricket Captain 2012 move

— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) September 2, 2021

Sunny G love for Rahane is unreal yaarr.. He believes Rahane isn’t ready yet that’s why they sent Jadeja to bat

— Spidey (@MrStarksPeter) September 2, 2021

Now Jadeja at number 5 , ahead of even Rahane, when wickets are falling. Kohli wants to prove a point ?

— IgniteYoung (@IgniteallYoung) September 2, 2021

Jadeja batting at 5 is testimony to how adept he has looked against the moving ball this series. While Rahane did seem like he was padding up and whether this was a last minute move or not idk but it’s a positive one #ENGvIND

— Soorya Sesha (@sooryasesha7) September 2, 2021

In the big SHOES. Where there is pressure, Dr is him. I have seen GOD walking at Number 5 for India to bat @imjadeja

— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) September 2, 2021

India in tatters already. Kohli’s there, but the innings hasn’t gained any momentum and 3 wickets have fallen. Jadeja walks out at no.5. This is a surprise!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) September 2, 2021

About time, India acknowledged that Ravindra Jadeja has looked more at ease than any of the middle order batsman this series & added him to the middle-order like they have here #EngvIND

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) September 2, 2021

Looks like Jadeja is the Night watchman before lunch….#logic
Jadeja has more FC double hundreds than Rahane #logic

— Dr Ameya Puranik (@docameya) September 2, 2021

England bowlers all over Ravindra Jadeja in the first few overs

If this is an audition for Ravindra Jadeja, the batsman, then it can get more difficult than this. England’s bowlers initially struggled with the new ball but found their mojo when the lacquer came off and it started to swing. Chris Woakes got Rohit Sharma edging a length ball and KL Rahul followed without adding anything to the scoreboard, lbw against Ollie Robinson.

James Anderson then did what he does best, lured Cheteshwar Pujara into an awkward poke on the fifth stump and sent the no.3 batsman packing. India at Lunch on Day 1 are 54-3, with Virat Kohli looking good at 18 and Ravindra Jadjea somehow keeping it away with a 19-ball 2.

This promotion could turnout to be either a masterstroke or a horrible punt gone wrong, all depending on how Ravindra Jadeja fares at the crease.

Edited by Samya Majumdar