Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has raised concerns over Ravindra Jadeja’s technique against spin following his dismissal to Nathan Lyon on Day 3 of the ongoing Melbourne Test during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Jadeja, who is typically known for his composure under pressure, was trapped LBW for just 2 runs off 14 balls by Lyon, as India struggled at 221/7.

Nathan Lyon, bowling around the wicket, delivered a ball that skidded back into Jadeja, catching him off-guard. Expecting the ball to turn away, Jadeja misjudged the delivery and was struck on the back leg. Although Jadeja reviewed the decision, the DRS showed umpire’s call, confirming the dismissal.

Speaking on Star Sports, Manjrekar analyzed Jadeja’s struggles against spin in this particular innings. "He played the fast bowlers very well and didn’t make any mistakes against them. However, once Nathan Lyon came into the attack, Jadeja was expecting the ball to turn. His bat came for the off-spin, but the ball was not turning at all," Manjrekar explained.

Manjrekar emphasized that Jadeja, who has shown great improvement against seam bowling overseas, may have shifted his focus away from spin bowling. "It seems like Jadeja needs to practice more against spin. He used to handle spin effectively, but when you play a lot overseas, your focus shifts to fast bowling, and spin can catch you off-guard," he added.

Manjrekar suggested that if Jadeja had faced only fast bowlers, he might have played a significant knock, as he looked comfortable against pace earlier in the innings. However, his dismissal to Lyon highlighted a potential gap in his technique against quality spin, which the all-rounder will likely look to address in the future.