Jadeja reveals strong ambition to captain India’s Test team after Shubman Gill’s appointment

Ravindra Jadeja opens up about his challenging IPL captaincy stint with CSK and shares his clear desire to lead India in Test cricket. Despite BCCI naming Shubman Gill as Test captain, Jadeja’s experience under top leaders fuels his confidence to take on the red-ball leadership role.

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Ravindra Jadeja has openly declared his ambition to captain India’s Test cricket team, despite the recent appointment of Shubman Gill as the new Test captain by the BCCI following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

In a candid conversation on Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube podcast 'Kutti Stories With Ash,' Jadeja reflected on his leadership experiences, including his stint as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain. He acknowledged the challenges faced during his T20 captaincy, stating, "It was difficult. In T20 cricket, every ball is an event... As a captain, if your team is not doing well then all the blame falls on the captaincy."

Jadeja contrasted the demands of T20 captaincy with Test cricket, emphasizing the latter's strategic simplicity. He explained, "In Test cricket, you have to change two or three fielders as per the need of the bowler... Captaincy in Test cricket is way more different. It's simple but calculative."

Drawing from his experience under legendary captains like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, Jadeja expressed confidence that these lessons would aid him if given the opportunity to lead the Test side. He said, "Every captain has a different mindset... I have played under MS Dhoni in every format and his thinking is very simple."

Despite Shubman Gill's current role, Jadeja remains hopeful about future leadership roles, underscoring his readiness and desire to captain India in the red-ball format.

This ambition comes after a challenging captaincy tenure with CSK in the IPL, where Jadeja was relieved of captaincy after a poor run, but he continues to be a vital player and leader within Indian cricket.

Jadeja’s leadership aspirations highlight the ongoing evolution of India’s cricket leadership, balancing emerging talents like Gill with experienced campaigners eager to contribute strategically.

Key quotes:
"It was difficult. In T20 cricket, every ball is an event... As a captain, if your team is not doing well then all the blame falls on the captaincy."
"In Test cricket, you have to change two or three fielders as per the need of the bowler... Captaincy in Test cricket is way more different. It's simple but calculative."
"Every captain has a different mindset... I have played under MS Dhoni in every format and his thinking is very simple."

Sources:

Ravindra Jadeja expressed strong ambition to captain India’s Test cricket team following Shubman Gill’s appointment as captain. Jadeja highlighted his experience under leaders like Dhoni and Kohli, emphasizing Test captaincy’s strategic nature compared to T20s, and remains eager to lead the red-ball side in future.

It was difficult. In T20 cricket, every ball is an event. It is a fast game but for me it was an experience. I could have done better. As a captain, if your team is not doing well then all the blame falls on the captaincy.

Ravindra Jadeja

In Test cricket, you have to change two or three fielders as per the need of the bowler. Captaincy in Test cricket is different. It’s simple, but calculative. It’s not complicated like IPL or T20Is.

Ravindra Jadeja

I have played under MS Dhoni in every format and his thinking is very simple. If he feels that a batter can hit shots in a particular region, he keeps the fielder there to make the batter uncomfortable.

Ravindra Jadeja

I would definitely want to captain the Indian team in the red-ball format, having been under the leadership of several top skippers in my time.

Ravindra Jadeja

Key Facts

Ravindra Jadeja took over as CSK captain ahead of the 2022 IPL season but had a poor start with only two wins in eight games and was relieved of captaincy mid-season.
CSK finished ninth in the 2022 IPL season with just four wins, marking a historically poor performance for the franchise.
Jadeja's personal form declined during his captaincy with just 112 runs at an average of 22.4 and five wickets at an economy rate of 8.1 in eight games.1
Jadeja resigned from CSK captaincy mid-season due to underwhelming team performance and his own form, requesting MS Dhoni to resume the role.1
Jadeja contrasted T20 and Test captaincy, stating Test captaincy is simpler and more calculative, involving fewer field changes compared to the fast-paced T20 format.
Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the BCCI appointed Shubman Gill as the new Indian Test captain for the England tour.
Jadeja expressed strong ambition to captain the Indian Test team, highlighting his experience under captains like Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit and readiness to lead in red-ball cricket.

Key Stats at a Glance

CSK wins under Jadeja's captaincy

2 wins

Number of games captained by Jadeja in 2022 IPL

8 games

CSK final standing in 2022 IPL season

9th

CSK total wins in 2022 IPL season

4 wins

Jadeja's runs during captaincy

112 runs

Jadeja's batting average during captaincy

22.4

Wickets taken by Jadeja during captaincy

5 wickets

Jadeja's bowling economy rate during captaincy

8.1

Number of key Indian Test captains retired before Shubman Gill's appointment

2 players

Jadeja reveals strong ambition to captain India’s Test team after Shubman Gill’s appointment

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