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Today’s Test Drama: Ravindra Jadeja breaks silence on heated pitch controversy with England captain Ben Stokes, calls allegations baseless as India dominated Day 2 with a mammoth total.

Today’s Test spotlight took a fiery turn at Edgbaston as Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja addressed his mid-match verbal exchange with England captain Ben Stokes, who accused him of intentionally roughing up the pitch during Day 2 of the second Test. Jadeja dismissed the claim, stating his sole focus was on batting and not on manipulating the surface, amid India’s commanding performance with the bat.

Birmingham [UK], July 4 – The Edgbaston Test is heating up both on the scoreboard and between the players. India’s Ravindra Jadeja found himself in the middle of an on-field dispute with England skipper Ben Stokes during Day 2 of the second Test, following accusations that the Indian all-rounder was tampering with the pitch’s danger zone.

The incident unfolded after pacer Chris Woakes raised concerns to the on-field umpires, alleging that Jadeja was stepping into the protected area of the pitch, potentially creating rough patches that could later benefit spin bowlers. Stokes confronted Jadeja, pointing out the marks and saying, “Look what you have done, mate.”

Jadeja, taken aback by the accusations, immediately denied any wrongdoing. “But I was coming from here. I won’t bowl there anyway. Why would I do that? My focus is on batting?” he responded, defending his movement on the pitch.

Speaking to the media after the end of the day’s play, Jadeja said, “He feels that I am making it rough for myself. In fact, he was making it rougher by using fast bowlers. I didn’t have to make it rough. He was repeatedly telling the umpire that I was running on the wicket. But that was not my intention.”

He further added, “I ran here and there a few times. But that was in his mind. Hopefully, if we get a chance tomorrow, we will try to bowl in good areas. And we will try to play as well as we can.”

Jadeja’s Role in India’s Mammoth Total

Beyond the pitch drama, Jadeja made headlines for all the right reasons with the bat. Coming in during a crucial phase, he stitched together a magnificent 203-run partnership with skipper Shubman Gill, who went on to score a career-best 269. Jadeja himself played a critical anchor role, holding one end to allow Gill to attack freely against a struggling English bowling attack.

Jadeja’s vigil ended at 89 off 137 balls when he mistimed a pull shot off Josh Tongue’s hostile short ball, sending an edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Though he missed out on a century, Jadeja’s contribution was vital in India’s mammoth first-innings total of 587.

Day 2 in Review

• India 1st Innings: 587 all out
  (Shubman Gill 269, Ravindra Jadeja 89, Shoaib Bashir 3/167)
• England 1st Innings: 77/3 at stumps
  (Harry Brook 30, Joe Root 18*, Akash Deep 2/36)*

Jadeja’s disciplined innings and the Indian bowlers’ early inroads left England reeling, already trailing by 510 runs with seven wickets remaining. The verbal duel only added fuel to an already intense series.

Today’s Test exchange between Jadeja and Stokes added a layer of tension to an otherwise dominant Indian performance. With India in full control and the pitch starting to wear, Jadeja may yet have the final say—not with his boots, but with the ball in hand. As Day 3 looms, all eyes will be on how this drama unfolds, both in the middle and on the scoreboard.