“He’ll do it here, don’t stress”- Jadeja confident that Ashwin will pick 500 Test wicket in 3rd IND vs ENG Test at Rajkot.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has successfully recovered from a hamstring injury and is set to make his comeback for the third Test in Rajkot. Prior to the Test, Jadeja expressed his support for his spin counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin, hoping he achieves the milestone of 500 Test wickets in his hometown.

During a recent press conference leading up to the third Test, Jadeja commended Ashwin, dispelling any doubts about his form. Ashwin, who began the series with 490 wickets, fell short of the milestone in the first two Tests against England. Despite claiming 6 wickets in the opening Test in Hyderabad, Ashwin faced challenges from the English batters, impacting his performance. However, he displayed signs of improvement in the second innings of the Vizag Test, securing three crucial wickets to contribute to India’s victory.

With Ashwin’s current wicket tally standing at 499*, he is eager to achieve the milestone in the upcoming Test match. He aims to collaborate with Jadeja to recapture his form and restrain the English batsmen on the Rajkot pitch, which traditionally favors batting.

Jadeja said “He’ll do it here, don’t stress. I’m thrilled for him and we’ve played together for ages. I figured he’d achieve it in the first test, but that’s fine… It’s destiny that he’ll reach the milestone here, in my hometown.”

Ashwin is poised to become only the second Indian bowler, following the legendary Anil Kumble (619 wickets), to surpass the 500-wicket mark in Test cricket. Additionally, he will join an elite group as the ninth bowler globally to achieve this feat.