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Manav Suthar could be the successor to Ravindra Jadeja. On Day 3 of the ongoing India vs Sri Lanka Test match in Galle, former Team India batter Aakash Chopra made several predictions about Suthar after watching his fantastic bowling spell.
For India, Manav Suthar emerged as the most effective bowler for the Indian cricket team, taking four wickets in 21.4 overs and an economy rate of 3.51. While the emerging spinner got 4, experienced spinner Ravindra Jadeja took 3 wickets in 21 overs.
Manav Suthar to continue with the Indian cricket team?
Aakash Chopra was impressed to see Suthar's ability to take wickets even in challenging conditions. The former cricketer, now a commentator and cricket expert, opined that Manav Suthar seemed to be the upgraded version of Jadeja. In the near future, the Indian team management may have to find a proper replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, who is now 37. For Chopra, Suthar will be ideal to replace the veteran spin bowling all-rounder.
"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 responded when he was asked whether Suthar has cemented his place as a spinner in Asian conditions.
Manav Suthar could be Ravindra Jadeja's replacement
On the YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former Team India opener further noted that along with bowling, Manav Suthar has some batting skills as well. Batting skills could be a plus point for him, mostly in overseas conditions.
Like Ravindra Jadeja, who equally bats and bowls well, Suthar has all the potential to fit into a role in the upcoming days, after the departure of Jadeja. Based on spin bowling qualities, Chopra ranked Suthar slightly higher than Jadeja.
"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," the former cricketer added.
"He has already taken four wickets, and it is not beyond the realm of thought that if he takes five or six wickets in the second innings, he could become the Player of the Match of this Test match as well, because 20 wickets need to be taken to win this match, and to do that, whoever takes around 10 wickets is going to be the frontrunner," Chopra continued.
Team India is in a commanding position against Sri Lanka
The partnership of Jadeja and Suthar proved extremely effective on Day 3, when both of them were launching the balls from both ends of the wicket. These two spinners together picked seven wickets in the innings.
Sonal Dinusha with 100 and Niroshan Dickwella with 80 were the only two batters who showed some resistance against the Indian bowling attack. Because of the partnership of Dinusha and Dickwella, the hosts somehow managed to get 284 runs against India's first innings of 462, before losing the tenth batter. After Day 3, the Shubman Gill-led team is leading the match by 178 runs.
