Ravindra Jadeja expressed immense joy after achieving the milestone of 300 Test wickets on Monday, stating that the moment “will forever remain” with him. Jadeja became the seventh Indian bowler to reach this coveted mark on the fourth day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
He now joins an elite group of Indian bowlers who have taken 300 or more wickets in test cricket. This list includes Anil Kumble (619), R Ashwin (524), Kapil Dev (434), Harbhajan Singh (417), and Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan (311 each).
“It’s special when you achieve something for India. I’ve been playing Tests for 10 years, and finally, I’ve reached this milestone. I’m proud of myself and feeling really happy,” Jadeja shared with the host broadcaster.
The left-arm spinner’s achievement is particularly significant, as he was once considered a specialist in white-ball formats. “It’s special and will forever remain with me. I started with white-ball cricket, and everyone told me I was a white-ball player. But I worked hard with the red ball, and finally, all that effort has paid off,” he added.
India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, praised Jadeja, calling him a “complete package” and a “magician with the ball.” Morkel also acknowledged the special significance of Jadeja joining the 300-wicket club.
In addition to his bowling milestone, Jadeja also completed the rare double of 300 wickets and 3,000 runs in Test cricket. He achieved this feat in his 74th match, making him the second fastest to do so, behind England’s Ian Botham.