Former Indian cricketers Zaheer Khan and Ajinkya Rahane have questioned Ravindra Jadeja's efficiency in the middle overs of one-day internationals, where he has recently struggled.

This analysis of the veteran all-rounder came after India lost the third and deciding ODI to New Zealand in Indore on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

New Zealand posted 337/8 in 50 overs thanks to Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106)’s 219-run partnership. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana picked three wickets each for India.

In response, though Virat Kohli made 124 and added valuable runs with Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) and Harshit Rana (52), India was always behind in the chase after openers fell early, and the middle order didn’t click in this match. India was bowled out for 296 and lost the game by 41 runs.

New Zealand won the ODI series, their first-ever in India, 2-1.

The focus of discussion between Zaheer Khan and Ajinkya Rahane on Cricbuzz was Ravindra Jadeja, as they analyzed the match. Jadeja didn’t click with the bat or the ball in the ODIs he played. Jadeja made 43 runs and failed to pick a single wicket, giving away 141 runs in 25 overs he bowled in the three ODIs.

“The ODI format has changed. You can’t just be a containing bowler in the middle overs. Everyone sees that phase as an opportunity to shift momentum, so you can’t just contain; you must also be aggressive and take wickets. Ravindra Jadeja needs to focus on that aspect of his game in ODIs,” Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz.

In the Vadodara ODI, he conceded 56 runs in 9 overs, 44 in eight overs in Rajkot, and 41 in six overs in Indore. In the third ODI, he was introduced in the 30th over and bowled only six overs.

Rahane said Jadeja has become predictable, failing to provide sufficient variation.

“In ODIs, you must have variations. Though Jadeja is a proven performer across conditions, he bowls at a similar pace and can become predictable. With only one fielder up, it becomes easy for the batter if a bowler maintains the same speed. With Axar [Patel], he has variations; he changes his pace and uses angles at the crease really well. So, there is healthy competition, and I am sure Jadeja understands this, as he knows his game well,” said Rahane.

Rahane added that a player must evolve with the game based on conditions.

“Jadeja likes to keep his game simple with the ball. But you have to evolve based on conditions. On a turning track, he’s lethal. But on a flat wicket, he’ll have to adjust and devise different plans, using angles better,” he said.

Jadeja will not feature in the India vs. New Zealand T20Is, having retired from the format in 2024, along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.