Ravindra Jadeja goes past Ishant, becomes 5th highest Test wicket-taker for India

Ravindra Jadeja went past Ishant Sharma to become the fifth-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket during Day 1 of the Mumbai Test against New Zealand.

Jadeja surpassed both Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, who held 311 wickets each, to reach this position with a tally of 312 wickets. The record-breaking wicket came in style as Jadeja dismissed Glenn Phillips with a well-executed delivery that darted in with the arm, leaving the batter completely beaten. He had earlier removed Tom Blundell and Will Young, displaying his versatility on a pitch offering variable turn.

With 312 wickets, Jadeja now stands just behind Harbhajan Singh, who claimed 417 wickets across 103 Tests. His achievement marks an impressive chapter in his decade-long Test career, during which he has consistently played a dual role for India as both a bowler and a batsman. Earlier in this series, he also became only the third Indian player to reach a double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets, a feat previously achieved by Kapil Dev and Ravichandran Ashwin. Notably, Jadeja is the second-fastest to achieve this milestone after England’s Ian Botham.

Since his debut in 2012, Jadeja has been a key figure in India’s spin department alongside Ravichandran Ashwin. The duo has been instrumental in securing numerous victories, particularly on home soil, where Jadeja has taken 231 of his wickets at an average of 21.78. As a lower-order batsman, Jadeja has also made valuable contributions, with four centuries and an average of 35.72, which rises to close to 39 when playing at home.

India capitalized on the Mumbai heat and challenging pitch conditions to trouble New Zealand’s batters. Washington Sundar provided early breakthroughs, dismissing Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra before lunch. Jadeja then struck just before tea, removing Young and Blundell in quick succession on a surface that had begun to offer puffs of dust and sharp turn. Despite these conditions, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell held firm, battling both the spin and the oppressive 37-degree temperatures.

Mitchell’s resilience was notable as he fought through cramps and high humidity, frequently using iced towels and ice packs to cool down. With India missing Jasprit Bumrah due to illness, the pace duties were shared by Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj. Akash Deep struck early to dismiss Devon Conway, but it was Washington and Jadeja who dictated the middle overs with their skillful spin.

Jadeja’s persistence paid off as he continued bowling through the afternoon, taking crucial wickets at pivotal moments. His determination and stamina, even in the searing Mumbai heat, were on full display as he induced a series of false shots from New Zealand’s middle order. As the pitch began to offer more turn later in the day, Jadeja bowled at higher speeds, unsettling the New Zealand batsmen with variations in both pace and trajectory. His dismissal of Phillips reduced New Zealand to 187 for 6, leaving the match finely balanced as Mitchell carried on through the tea break.