Jadeja is undoubtedly India's greatest all-rounder: Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel

New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has classified Ravindra Jadeja as India's "greatest all-rounder" before the legendary World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, and far ahead of modern-day established mainstays Ben Stokes and Shakib Al Hasan.

Jadeja stands on the cusp of carving his name in the history books during the second Test against the West Indies, scheduled to commence on Friday here in the national capital. With 334 wickets and just 10 runs shy of reaching the 4000-run landmark in the Test format, Jadeja will join a special club that consists of just three members.

If the 36-year-old adds 10 runs to his tally, he will join Kapil Dev, New Zealand's Daniel Vettori and England's Ian Botham to hammer 4000 Test runs and scalp 300 wickets in Test format. Parthiv, who expects Jadeja to conclude his career with 400 Test wickets, considers him the best all-rounder in the present scenario.

"Jadeja is undoubtedly India's greatest all-rounder. With nearly 4,000 runs and approaching 335 wickets, I expect him to surpass 400 wickets and 4,000 runs by the end of his career, which is a monumental achievement. On the global stage, he is currently the number one all-rounder, there is no debate about it," Parthiv said on JioHotstar.

"While names like Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, and Shakib Al Hasan come up, Jadeja stands far ahead. His exceptional consistency as both a bowler and batter across all conditions sets him apart. It's not just occasional brilliance; it's sustained performance that solidifies his position as the world's best all-rounder at present," he added.

Jadeja has thrived on the field with a red-hot form this year. He has garnered 659 runs in seven Tests and 13 innings at an average of 82.37, including two centuries and five fifties. With a 516-run series in England and several vital contributions, the all-rounder is relishing a sparkling form.

During India's recent thumping win by an innings and 140 runs in Ahmedabad against the West Indies, Jadeja's all-around expertise made the headlines. He slammed an unbeaten 104 and clinched figures of 4/54 to earn the Player of the Match award.

"It's been brilliant to see the way Jadeja has been batting. A lot of it comes down to the responsibility he's embraced since being appointed vice-captain. Even before that, the Indian management showed faith in him, encouraging him to take responsibility with the bat and bat flexibly in the order, be it at five, six, or seven. When the dressing room trusts you like that, it changes your mindset," he said.

"Though he is primarily an all-rounder, with the ability to take wickets, his batting contributions have become invaluable. His best innings in recent months was the resilient draw against England, where he showed maturity under pressure. In this Test match, his positive footwork and ability to stay not out without giving away his wicket were key factors," he added.

India's Test squad: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan (WK), Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)

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