Mumbai, July 18: Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has praised Ravindra Jadeja for his gritty innings on the final day of the third Test at Lord’s, but also hinted that a slightly more aggressive approach by the senior allrounder in the closing stages could have tilted the match in India’s favour. While chasing 193, India’s top and middle order showed little to no resistance against the uneven bounce on the pitch and left Jadeja with a massive job to do, with the side reeling at 82/7 at one point. World no.1 allrounder then continued to battle on, scoring an unbeaten 61 off 181 deliveries, but it was not enough to India over the line as the hosts sealed a narrow 22-run win. When Is India vs England 4th Test 2025? What Is India's Win-Loss Record at Old Trafford? Has India Made Any Change To Its Squad? All Questions Answered!.

Kaif believes that the senior allrounder may have missed a narrow window of opportunity by not accelerating just a bit more when the equation was within reach. The fourth Test between India and England begins on July 23 at Old Trafford, Manchester.

"Jadeja played a brilliant innings — full credit to him. But maybe, just maybe, if he had played 10 per cent more aggressively, the result could have been different. It was a Day 5 pitch — the ball was reversing, bounce was uneven, and conditions were tough. When Siraj came in to bat, he faced only three deliveries. At that stage, you have to manage the strike — be mindful of how many balls you’re exposing tailenders like Bumrah or Siraj to.

"Jadeja had done 90 per cent of the job. Just 10 per cent more — a few calculated risks — and the chase might’ve been completed. But it’s easy to say from the outside. Only the batter knows the pressure in that moment. Still, it was a memorable knock." Kaif told IANS. IND vs ENG 2025: Deep Dasgupta Says India Should Invest in Sai Sudharsan Over Karun Nair for Final Two Tests Against England.

The former cricketer further reflected on India's overall batting show in the series so far, saying that the batting unit did their job well and should follow the same going forward.

"I believe 80–90 per cent of the Indian batting unit has performed well. Gill is in form, Jaiswal has made valuable contributions, Pant is playing with confidence, and Jadeja has been scoring consistently. Sundar has chipped in too. If the batting is working, there’s no reason to change it. Just repeat the same approach.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 18, 2025 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).