Manav Suthar’s rise in Test cricket has already caught the attention of former India batter Aakash Chopra, who believes the young spinner could eventually become Ravindra Jadeja’s successor in the Indian team.
Chopra has gone a step further, describing Suthar as an “upgraded version” of Jadeja as a bowler.
The 24-year-old gave another strong indication of his potential during India’s first innings against Sri Lanka in Galle. Suthar picked up four wickets for 76 runs as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 284, taking a healthy 178-run first-innings lead.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked if Suthar had already done enough to secure his place in India’s plans, particularly for matches in Asian conditions.
“I will say yes because he is a mighty guy. When he releases the ball, it drifts, bounces, and turns. He dismisses you while defending. When you can make the opposing batter lick dust while defending, and that too repeatedly, that tells you this guy has the might,” Chopra said.
Is Manav Suthar The Next Ravindra Jadeja?
Suthar’s spell in Galle certainly gave Chopra’s comments some weight.
He made an immediate impact by taking a wicket with his very first ball of the innings, dismissing Dinesh Chandimal. He later got Lahiru Udara as well, using flight, dip, turn and bounce to trouble Sri Lanka’s batters.
Suthar eventually finished with four wickets, while Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja also picked up wickets during India’s dominant bowling performance.
For Chopra, however, Suthar’s value is not limited to his ability to bowl on turning pitches.His batting could also give India an extra option, especially when the team plays in different conditions.
“Suthar has played only two Test matches, and he is consistently saying that he is good. He comes from Sri Ganganagar. It’s far away from a cricket hotspot. However, to come from there and then to focus on long-form cricket and consistently take wickets, Duleep Trophy, India A, then India, and a Player of the Match performance in his first match itself,” Chopra said.
Suthar had already made a strong start to his Test career against Afghanistan. On debut, he picked up seven wickets across the two innings and also contributed 28 runs.
His performance against Sri Lanka has now added to the growing belief that he could be an important player for India in the years ahead.
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Suthar’s Case Getting Stronger
Replacing someone like Jadeja is no easy task. The veteran all-rounder has been one of India’s most dependable players across formats and has played a major role with both bat and ball.
Chopra’s comparison, though, is more about Suthar’s potential than an immediate replacement.
Suthar has shown that he can create problems for batters with his drift, bounce and turn. More importantly, he has managed to make an impact even without relying entirely on a rank turner.
There is still a long way to go. Suthar has played only two Tests and will need to maintain his performances over a much bigger sample size.