Cheteshwar Pujara, a veteran Indian batsman, defended all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's method in the third Test at Lord's, where India was on the edge of victory, saying that the criticism of the all-rounder's cautious batting with the tail was "unwarranted" in light of the game's circumstances and the context.

Chasing 193 for victory, India came up 22 runs short on the final day in a nail-biting conclusion. The majority of the discussion following the game centered on Jadeja's run rate when he was batting with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj at the conclusion. While wickets were falling at the other end, Jadeja attempted to hold the chase together by scoring an unbroken 61 off 181 deliveries.

However, Pujara, Jadeja's longtime teammate from junior-level cricket through the national team, provided a clear explanation of his approach.

"On that track, he couldn't have scored quicker," Pujara told The Indian Express. "I believe it was because the ball was soft and the pitch was on the slower side. Perhaps Jadeja believed that the tailenders were performing well and that the club was on the verge of reaching the target. And he would have seized the opportunity when they were a bit nearer.

With India struggling at 71 for five, 122 runs short of the objective, Jadeja entered the game. He gave India a chance by joining together small yet crucial stands: 40 with Nitish Kumar Reddy, 35 with Bumrah, and 23 with Siraj. With two wickets remaining, India required only 23 more runs at one point.

"He was hitting the ball well." On that surface, it was quite challenging to score runs, Pujara said. The only thing he might have done better was to try to score on the ground. For instance, there was a space between mid-off and cover.

Pujara also emphasized the improvement in Jadeja's entire batting skill, notably his enhanced method against fast bowlers.

“He has improved during the past five years, particularly in foreign markets. He's been putting in a lot of effort. He even practices his net on the day of the game, as you may have seen. Pujara stated, "He has demonstrated improvement when playing pace."

Pujara said of Jadeja's development from a spin-dominating batsman to a more all-around player, "He is now able to face seamers and spinners equally well." Previously, he was a good spinner but lacked a bit of strength against seamers, but this is no longer the case.

Jadeja's capacity to handle difficult spells has improved greatly because of the technical change of playing closer to the body, according to Pujara.

"He doesn't charge at a ball. He plays near the body. And that is why he allows the ball to approach him. This is also why he strikes the ball beneath his eyes. Since you have chosen to keep the ball near to your body, this occurs spontaneously.

Jadeja has two triple centuries in domestic cricket, according to Pujara. "Earlier, it was the case of him not converting his good starts to big scores at the highest level. You need talent to score 300 in first-class cricket, as you can see. At the international level, however, you must convert, just as you would at the first-class level, Pujara stated.

Even if Jadeja's innings at Lord's wasn't particularly fast in terms of statistics, it helped India stay in the game during a collapsing chase. Even though the visitors suffered heartbreak at the end, Pujara's remarks served as a reminder that context is more important than speed in tense fourth-innings contests.

In the fourth Test, which begins on July 23 in Manchester, India will try to rebound, and Jadeja's contribution — both with bat and ball — will probably continue to be crucial to their strategy.

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