Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the most influential all-rounders in Indian cricket over the past decade, making his eventual replacement a challenging task for the team management. With his ability to contribute crucial runs, pick wickets and provide outstanding value in the field, finding a player who can replicate his impact will not be straightforward. However, one young left-arm spinner appears to have caught the attention of former India cricketer Aakash Chopra.

Aakash Chopra picks the ideal successor to Ravindra Jadeja in Tests

Chopra has backed Manav Suthar as a potential long-term successor to Jadeja in India’s Test setup, particularly for conditions that offer assistance to spinners. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked whether Suthar had already cemented his place in India’s plans for Asian conditions. The former opener responded positively, highlighting the youngster’s ability to extract considerable turn and bounce from the surface.

Chopra was particularly impressed by the way Suthar can trouble batters even when they are attempting to defend. According to him, the spinner possesses the strength and variations required to repeatedly beat batters in defensive situations. The former cricketer also pointed towards Suthar’s batting ability, which could make him a valuable option beyond the subcontinent. Chopra believes the youngster has the potential to develop into a player capable of contributing in both departments. Comparing him with Jadeja, Chopra went a step further and described Suthar as an upgraded version of the veteran spinner purely from a bowling perspective.

“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. Along with that, he also bats, which means you can keep him in mind even in overseas conditions. I am seeing him as a successor to Ravindra Jadeja because Jaddu will go at some stage, and you will need somebody like him. If I look at him purely as a bowler, I think he is Jadeja’s upgraded version,” said Chopra.

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Impressive performance from the newcomer for Team India

Suthar has given the Indian team plenty of reasons to be excited with his performance in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The left-arm orthodox spinner claimed an impressive four wickets for 76 runs from 21.4 overs in his first spell of the match. He made an immediate impact by removing veteran batter Dinesh Chandimal with his very first delivery.

Suthar subsequently added the important wickets of Raveendu Rasaantha, who scored 71, and Lahiru Udara, who made 27. His ability to consistently threaten Sri Lanka’s batters has made him one of the standout performers of the contest. With the Test still underway, Suthar has already picked up another two wickets for 22 runs from 9.2 overs, further underlining his effectiveness on the Galle surface.

Match analytics have also highlighted the amount of turn he has generated. As many as 74% of his deliveries were recorded as producing more than 4.5 degrees of turn. That figure was higher than the corresponding numbers for senior India spinners Jadeja (58.2%) and Kuldeep Yadav (50%).

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