Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja reportedly breached the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) updated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in a curious turn of events during the second Test against England at Edgbaston, but is expected to avoid disciplinary action.
As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, Jadeja chose to travel separately to the stadium instead of taking the mandatory team bus, directly flouting one of the new SOPs introduced after India’s lacklustre Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance. The regulation mandates all players to commute together for better cohesion and discipline.
Despite this technical breach, Jadeja is unlikely to face a penalty. Why? The southpaw reached the stadium early to get in extra batting practice. “Somewhere I felt that I should go and bat extra because the ball was still new,” Jadeja explained during the post-day press conference. “Luckily, I could bat till lunch, and then Washington also batted well with Shubman. The more you bat in England, the better it is.”
The BCCI’s revamped SOPs also prohibit players from travelling with personal staff like cooks and stylists on tour, aiming to streamline team discipline.
Jadeja’s impressive 89-run knock in the first innings was crucial to India’s mammoth total of 587, showing that his deviation—while against protocol—was driven by professional intent.
For now, the message from the BCCI seems to be clear: discipline is essential, but so is context.
