"You see only trolls these days" - Aakash Chopra on Ravindra Jadeja being criticized after India's loss in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has hit out at critics who are criticizing Ravindra Jadeja for his approach on Day 5 of the third Test against England. He noted that social media is being used only to troll people these days.

Jadeja remained unbeaten on a 181-ball 61 in India's second innings of the third Test at Lord's on Monday, July 14. However, his knock went in vain as the visitors were bundled out for 170 in pursuit of a 193-run target, losing the game by 22 runs to go 2-1 down in the five-match series.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Jadeja has been trolled on social media for not playing aggressively while batting with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

"I was seeing the narrative. There was a time when you used to get intellectual people on X, formerly Twitter. So you got a drift of what was happening. You see only trolls these days. People have trolled Ravindra Jadeja a lot, as to why you weren't hitting when Bumrah and Siraj were playing with you," he said (1:45).

Chopra highlighted that the same critics would have gone after Jadeja had the all-rounder been dismissed while trying to take the attack to the England bowlers.

"I will tell you something, it's easier said than done. The pitch wasn't easy to bat. You were 80/5 and were starting at a defeat. You were trying to salvage something from there. One way of salvaging it could have been to play shots. The same keyboard warriors would have criticized Jaddu had he gotten out while playing a shot. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't. It cannot happen like that," he observed.

Ravindra Jadeja walked out to bat when India were 71/5 at the fall of Rishabh Pant's (9 off 12) wicket. The visitors were reduced to 82/7 soon thereafter, with KL Rahul (39 off 58) and Washington Sundar (0 off 4) being dismissed.

Although Jadeja added 88 runs for the last three wickets with Nitish Kumar Reddy (13 off 53), Jasprit Bumrah (5 off 54) and Mohammed Siraj (4 off 30), he couldn't take his team over the line.

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"If you are a proper cricket follower, celebrate Jadeja" - Aakash Chopra on Ravindra Jadeja's methodical approach in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Ravindra Jadeja struck four fours and a six during his unbeaten 61-run knock. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Ravindra Jadeja should be celebrated for devising a game plan and taking India close, even though he couldn't win the game.

"Every player has a game plan and method. You understand the pitch, show faith in your partner, and then you figure out a way. In my opinion, if you are a proper cricket follower, celebrate Jadeja. Of course, he couldn't win the match, was left stranded at the other end when Siraj got out, but you came so close," he said (3:15).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that India could have lost by a much bigger margin had Jadeja gotten out playing an extravagant shot by assuming that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj wouldn't be able to stay with him for long.

"You could have lost this match by 70 runs also. He could have played an airy-fairy shot, shrugged his shoulders, and gone away, as it wasn't going to happen since you are assuming that Bumrah can't play 50 balls and Siraj won't show resistance. So no one would have said anything. You need courage to make the fight longer in Test cricket," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra noted that Ravindra Jadeja did whatever he could have done. He added that the spin-bowling all-rounder's performances with the bat in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy have been commendable.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer