Ravindra Jadeja Rewrites Rare Record After 16 Years

Ravindra Jadeja for RR [Source: AP]

Rajasthan Royals veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja scripted a rare personal record during the IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

The experienced left-hander came out to bat at No.9, only the second instance in his long T20 career where he has batted at that position or lower.

Rajasthan Royals' Top Order Suffered in Front of MI

The unusual move came during RR’s high-pressure innings after the side suffered a top order batting collapses against Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack.

Rajasthan Royals eventually recovered strongly through late cameos from Jofra Archer and Dhruv Jurel to post a competitive total.

Jadeja, who has mostly operated as a middle-order finisher throughout his T20 career, arrived very late in the innings after Rajasthan lost wickets frequently.

Ravindra Jadeja’s Injury Situation Led To Late Entry?

Jadeja’s delayed batting appearance also came amid Rajasthan Royals carefully managing his workload during the latter phase of IPL 2026.

The veteran has reportedly been dealing with minor knee discomfort and fatigue concerns due to continuous cricket across formats.

Although the injury was not serious or tournament-ending, RR’s management opted to use him cautiously in the ongoing season. Jadeja had even missed a league-stage fixture earlier as part of workload management before returning.

As a result, Rajasthan Royals appeared to preserve Jadeja as an impact substitute for a finishing role rather than exposing him early against Mumbai’s pace-heavy attack.

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Ravindra Jadeja’s Rare Record Repeats After 16 Years

This was only the second occasion in Jadeja’s T20 career where he batted at No.9 or lower. The first instance came way back during the 2010 ICC T20 World Cup clash between India and West Indies at Bridgetown, Barbados.

In that encounter, India were chasing 170 against a West Indies side powered by Chris Gayle’s explosive 98-run knock. Jadeja came in at No.9 and remained unbeaten on five runs as India eventually lost the match by 14 runs.

Back then, India’s batting lineup featured stars like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, and Suresh Raina ahead of him. Sixteen years later, Jadeja once again found himself batting at No.9 in yet another crucial encounter.

RR Batting Unit Recovers Well Against MI

Rajasthan Royals endured a shaky start after early dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi inside the powerplay. Captain Riyan Parag chipped in with a quick cameo before wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel anchored the innings with 38 runs.

Dasun Shanaka provided momentum through a fiery 29-run knock before being involved in a disastrous run-out. Later, Jofra Archer changed the situation of the innings completely with a brutal 32 off just 15 balls, smashing three sixes at a strike rate above 200.

RR reached 205 after 20 overs despite their middle-order stutters, with Mumbai Indians bowlers struggling to contain the late assault.

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Conclusion: Was Jadeja’s Late Arrival Beneficial For RR?

To be honest, yes, Rajasthan Royals’ decision to delay Jadeja’s batting entry as an impact substitute ultimately worked in their favour. Promoting occasional power-hitters like Jofra Archer ahead of him helped RR maintain an aggressive scoring rate after the top-order collapse.

Archer’s fearless counterattack gave Rajasthan crucial momentum during the death overs, while Jadeja’s presence at the end, especially after the no-ball lifeline from Shardul Thakur, helped the most.

Instead of rebuilding slowly, RR maximised their boundary-hitting options, which helped them recover from a difficult situation and push towards a strong total against the hosts.

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