Ravindra Jadeja and his habit of making Alastair Cook his ‘Bunny’

Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Alastair Cook for the sixth time in the five-Test series as he continued the trend of making opposition captains his bunny in a Test series.

Ravindra Jadeja is proving to be a nightmare for opposition captains in a Test series. In the last four years, whenever visiting captains have played a series in India, they have not only encountered the tough spinning conditions, they have had to encounter the bogey of ‘Sir’ Jadeja dismissing them on a frequent basis. (SCORECARD)

Ravindra Jadeja appeals against Alastair Cook on day 4 of the fifth and final India vs England Test in Chennai on December 20.(BCCI)

In the current India versus England Test series, Jadeja has dismissed Alastair Cook six times in the five-Test series. (UPDATES)

In the first Test at Rajkot, he trapped Cook LBW for 21 in the first innings. In the Vizag Test, the England skipper had managed a solid fifty before he fell leg before to Jadeja again in the last over of day 4. The strike proved to be crucial as India won the match by 246 runs to take the lead in the series.

In the Mohali Test, Jadeja did not get the better of Cook but in the Mumbai Test, he dismissed him both times.

In the first innings, he had him stumped for 46 while in the second innings, Cook fell lbw for the third time to the left-arm orthodox bowler.

The saga continued in Chennai. Cook edged Jadeja to first slip and in the second innings, he fell at leg slip. In 10 innings against Jadeja, Cook made just 75 runs at an average of 12.75. Jadeja had a stellar day as he ended with 7/48, his best figures in Tests as India defeated England by an innings and 75 runs to clinch the five-match series 4-0.

Jadeja completes the holy trinity

By making Alastair Cook his bunny, Jadeja has completed the holy trinity. Not only has he succeeded against England, he has enjoyed tremendous success against Australia and South Africa.

Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli celebrate the wicket of Alastair Cook Captain on day 5 of the fifth India vs England Test in Chennai on December 20. (BCCI)

In the 2013 series against Australia, Jadeja will be best remembered for dismissing Australian skipper Michael Clarke in five out of the six innings. Taking out the opposition team’s best batsman was key in India securing a 4-0 whitewash of Australia. In that series, Jadeja finished with 24 wickets at an average of 17.45.

Two years later, during the 2015 series against South Africa, Ravindra Jadeja targeted Proteas skipper Hashim Amla by dismissing him in four out of seven innings. In the Mohali Test, he had Amla stumped for 43 and in the second innings, he bowled him for 0. Jadeja ended the match with eight wickets, including a haul of 5/21.

After not taking his wicket in Bangalore and Nagpur, Jadeja took the South African skipper’s wicket on both occasions in the Delhi Test. Overall, in that series, Jadeja managed 23 wickets at an average of 10.82.

By targeting the head of the team, Jadeja has shown his worth in an Indian team that is currently performing dominantly in all conditions under Virat Kohli.