Day 2 of the India vs England second Test had it all--captain Shubman Gill scoring a double century, India recovering from a tail-end collapse thanks to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar’s late flourish, and one unexpected twist: Jadeja breaking a BCCI rule, though he isn’t expecting any sanction for it.
After India’s 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 in Australia, the BCCI implemented a strict rule: no player would travel to or from the ground individually--everyone was to stick with the team bus. But on the second day of the second Test against England, Jadeja quietly broke that protocol.
He arrived at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham early--on his own--so he could hit a few extra balls before resuming his innings on 41. It was a calculated move, and it paid off.
It was the new ball that had been troubling him the most, and he wanted to get ahead of it. “Somewhere I felt that I should go and bat extra because the ball was still new,” Jadeja said as quoted by ESPN cricinfo.
“I felt if I can see the new ball off, it would become easy for the rest of the innings. Luckily I could bat till lunch, and then Washington Sundar also batted well with Shubman. The more you bat in England, the better it is because you never feel you are set in England. At any time a ball can swing and take your edge or bowl you.”
Why Jadeja's knock mattered is no longer a question--India posted a massive 587 in their first innings, led by Shubman Gill’s maiden double century (269) and Ravindra Jadeja’s 89 that was done after they stumbled for just 211/5 on the first day.
After the five-wicket loss at Headingley--despite scoring five centuries--India, under new captain Shubman Gill, simply couldn’t afford another slip-up. So when it comes to talk of sanctions against Ravindra Jadeja for breaking protocol, no one’s really expecting one. His early solo arrival at the ground may have gone against BCCI rules, but what followed with the bat more than justified it.
“When you contribute with the bat for the team, it feels great. When you're playing outside India and the team needs you more, it feels even better,” Jadeja said.
“Going from 210 for 5 to building a strong partnership is always a challenge. I took it as one. If you can stick around with the captain and put together a big stand, it gives you confidence--not just for that match, but for future games as well.”
In the final session of Day 2, England began their first innings but stumbled early, ending the day at 77/3. India struck with the new ball, with Akash Deep removing both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks, setting the tone with two key early blows.
