WTC Final: Copy Ravindra Jadeja if you are an emerging player, Kevin Pietersen hails India all-rounder

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has heaped praise on Ravindra Jadeja, urging upcoming English cricketers to follow the Indian all-rounder if they want to have a long career in Test cricket.

Pietersen's comments have come ahead of India's World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand and five-match Test series against England.

The cricketer-turned-commentator has insisted that the current England team needs a fine left-arm spinner like Jadeja, who can also contribute with the bat down the order.

Over the last couple of years, Jadeja has lifted his red-ball game, especially with the bat. With his consistent performances, he has not only shot up his Test average to 36.18 but also impressed many former cricketers, including Pietersen.

"It frustrates me that there still isn't an international-standard English left-arm spin bowler who bats. Look at what Ravindra Jadeja has done for India in Test match cricket, one-day cricket, and T20 cricket.

It's the one position that the ECB must be prioritising. They need to invest in somebody because someone of that ilk is priceless across all three formats. If you're a kid, an emerging player, or a county cricketer, copy Jadeja. Copy what Jadeja does because he's an absolute superstar. You'll have a long career as a Test match cricketer for England," Pietersen wrote in his blog for Betway Insider.

"Leach is not a Test match spinner and Bess is not a Test match spinner. I wrote nearly two years ago that I hope Leach doesn't get remembered for Specsavers adverts because it's about winning Test matches. Unfortunately, I was right, because he's not good enough. He hasn't bowled any teams out, he hasn't bowled England to glory in Tests like Panesar and Swann used to do," added Piertersen.

Having played 51 Tests since his debut in 2012, Jadeja has accumulated 1,954 runs, including a century and 15 fifties. With the ball, the all-rounder also has picked up 220 wickets, including nine five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Team India landed in the UK on Thursday and has begun their mandatory quarantine ahead of their WTC final against the Kiwis that is due to begin on June 18 in Southampton. Subsequently, Virat Kohli and Co will play the hosts England in a five-Test series. The last time India toured England, the visitors ended up losing 4-1 in the longest format.