The Indian cricket team has suffered its first defeat of 2026. Not only did India fail to post a big total while batting, but the bowlers also leaked plenty of runs. After this match, one player has come under heavy criticism. He has already announced his retirement from T20 Internationals, and now even his place in the ODI team seems to be under serious threat. Many are calling him the main villain behind India’s loss in the second match.
Ravindra Jadeja has retired from T20 Internationals
After the T20 World Cup 2024, three Indian players bid farewell to this format—Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja. While Kohli and Rohit have also retired from Test cricket and are now playing only ODIs, Jadeja has continued in both Tests and ODIs. However, looking at his performances in the last two ODI matches, it appears his time in the format may also be limited.
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No wickets for Jadeja in two ODIs against New Zealand
In the first ODI against New Zealand, Ravindra Jadeja bowled 9 overs and conceded 56 runs without taking a single wicket. With the bat, he managed just 4 runs off 5 balls before getting out.
The story remained the same in the second match in Rajkot. Jadeja scored only 27 runs off 44 balls, hitting just one boundary. With the ball, he gave away 44 runs in 8 overs and once again failed to pick up a wicket. In other words, Jadeja could not make an impact with either bat or ball, despite Rajkot being his home ground.
Can Jadeja play ODIs for India till 2027?
Ravindra Jadeja’s form has been on a continuous decline, while Axar Patel is waiting on the sidelines for an opportunity. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are performing well enough to raise hopes that they will play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, but it looks difficult for Jadeja to continue in India’s ODI setup until then. The BCCI selection committee will closely monitor his performance in the third ODI against New Zealand. That match could play a key role in deciding how long Jadeja remains part of India’s ODI plans. Moreover, with a long gap before India’s next ODI assignment, many things could change by then.