Several professionals, such as Jack Hobbs, could have been made captain, but Jardine was preferred as an amateur.[43] In that season, Jardine was selected for the Gentlemen v Players match for the first time and came third in the Surrey averages. In all first-class matches, he scored 1,249 runs at an average of 40.29.[24] In the following season, Jardine was less successful, scoring fewer runs at a lower average and with a highest score of 87 (1,020 runs at 30.90).[24] Suggestions made in the press that Jardine should captain the Gentlemen with a view towards the future of the England Test team, were ignored. In the event, owing to an injury sustained playing village cricket, he was unable to appear in the Gentlemen v Players match at Lord's.[44] In 1926, Jardine had his most successful season to date, with 1,473 runs (average 46.03),[24] although he was again overshadowed by other players and by the attention given to the Ashes series being played.