Dubai: Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy final 2025 against New Zealand in Dubai, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and called him a "top arounder" in the world.
India will play New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on March 9 at the Dubai International Stadium. India is undefeated in the tournament so far, and the Kiwis have looked rock solid with bat and ball under Mitchell Santner's captaincy.
The clash promises to be an epic sequel to the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy final, which New Zealand won. Men in Blue would like to avenge losses to the Blackcaps in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal and 2021 ICC World Test Championship final.
"I've always felt that he's always gone under the radar. I think he's someone we don't speak highly about. See what he's done to Indian cricket, be it test format, be it a T20 format or in 50-over format. I think he's very important to Indian cricket in what he's done, not just with a bat or ball, in the field as well. He's, I think, one of the top all-rounders going around in world cricket. We in the dressing room know the value of Ravindra Jadeja. It's not what happens outside the dressing room," Gautam Gambhir said in a video posted by ICC on Instagram.
So far, in the Champions Trophy 2025, Jadeja has taken four wickets in the same number of matches at an average of 38.25, with a best figure of 2/40 in the semi-final clash against Australia. In the batting, the southpaw scored just 16 runs in two innings.
Jadeja has played 203 matches so far in his ODI career since his debut back in 2009. In 203 matches, Jadeja has scored 2797 runs with an average of 32.52 and 13 fifties. His highest score in ODI is 87 vs England.
While bowling, Jadeja has taken 230 wickets in 203 matches with an average of 35.43 and an economy of 4.86. He has two five-wicket hauls in his ODI career, one against South Africa and the other against the West Indies. His best bowling figures came against South Africa, 5/33. (ANI)