Star Indian cricketer and world’s No. 1 Test all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was on fire for India during the final session of the third day’s play of the WTC 2023 final against Australia. The 34-year-old left-arm spinner removed both first-inning centurions Steve Smith and Travis Head to lead India’s fightback in the game and, at the same time, break legendary Bishan Singh Bedi’s all-time Test record.
Jadeja first got rid of ex-Australian skipper Smith, who was caught by Shardul Thakur, and then he removed Head by taking a catch off his own bowling. And by removing Head, he broke Bedi’s 44-year-old record of taking 266 Test wickets for India. Bedi was India’s highest wicket-taker in the history of the game among left-arm spinners, but now that record belongs to Jadeja, whose tally of wickets now stands at 267 in 65 red-ball matches.
In the all-time leaderboard, Jadeja has moved up to No. 4 and is only behind Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (433), New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori (362), and England’s Derek Underwood (297).
Apart from achieving this unique milestone, Jadeja also equaled his longtime India teammate Ravichandran Ashwin’s record of dismissing Smith eight times in Test cricket. The former Aussie captain, who averages close to 60 in Test matches, has been sent back to the pavilion eight times each by Jadeja and Ashwin, which is the second-highest time after Stuart Broad (9).