Ravichandran Ashwin believes Ravindra Jadeja is no longer India’s main attacking spinner. According to Ashwin, the 37-year-old has gradually moved into a different role in the team. He now offers experience with the ball while also playing an important part as a middle-order batter.

Ashwin’s comments came after India’s 165-run win over Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday. The match also saw young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar make a big impact with the ball.

Suthar took six wickets in Sri Lanka’s second innings and finished the match with 10 wickets. Jadeja, meanwhile, picked up four wickets in the game and provided control whenever India needed it.

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“Jadeja and Suthar are completely different bowlers. Suthar’s strength is the ball rotation in his hands. Jadeja will bowl to the wickets and give you control with his stock balls. I feel Jadeja is not that attacking spinner anymore. He is a batter who will give experience with the ball and I feel he has transitioned to that role, which is not such a bad thing,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Suthar makes a big impression

Ashwin was full of praise for Suthar, who has made a strong start to his Test career.

The 24-year-old has played only two Tests since making his debut against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh in June. Yet, he has already shown that he can make an impact at the highest level.

In Galle, Suthar took a wicket with his first delivery of the Test. He then played a key role at the other end of the match, taking four wickets from his final seven deliveries to help India complete the win.

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“Manav Suthar, in the previous Test and this one as well, is putting his hands up and saying he also knows how to pick wickets. He was gauging what the batters might do and bowling accordingly. I feel as far as wicket-taking is concerned, there is no connection to how the ball comes off the hand. How you utilise it and set fields, that’s what matters. He has given a great account of his skills in the first two Tests. He is very important to India’s spin bowling stocks,” Ashwin said.

Ashwin backs Suthar as a wicket-taker

Ashwin believes Suthar’s success is not simply down to the way he delivers the ball.

The former India spinner feels the young bowler has shown a good understanding of the batters, conditions and field placements. That ability to read the game could make him an important part of India’s spin options in the future.

Suthar’s 10-wicket match was the biggest individual highlight of India’s victory in Galle.

India’s batting also impressed Ashwin

Ashwin also praised India’s overall performance in the Test.

He pointed out that Galle has traditionally produced big first-innings scores, but India’s total of more than 450 put Sri Lanka under pressure from the beginning.

With Suthar making an immediate impact, India now have another promising option in their spin department. For Jadeja, meanwhile, Ashwin believes his value to the side has evolved rather than disappeared.