Ajay Jadeja, a former Indian cricketer, praised Manav Suthar for his impressive performance in the first Test against Sri Lanka. While former India player Mohammad Kaif described Ravindra Jadeja as the Kohinoor diamond, Ajay Jadeja likened the young left-arm spinner to an uncut gem.
In the match held in Galle on Monday, August 17, Suthar achieved bowling figures of 4/76 in 21.4 overs, helping India dismiss Sri Lanka for 284 in their first innings. With a first-innings score of 462, India led by 178 runs going into Day 4.
During a discussion on Sony Sports, Ajay Jadeja expressed his belief that Suthar has the potential to become a top bowler.
“These are great signs for Indian cricket. We have praised Ravindra Jadeja a lot just now. He (Suthar) also bowls left-arm spin, but he is a totally different bowler. Jadeja is at the top of his career. This is just the start of his (Suthar’s) career, and we are seeing him outperform from now itself,” the former India all-rounder said.
“The advantage for him is that he has a senior left-arm spinner with him who has so much experience. If Jadeja is the Kohinoor, which is already polished and put on the crown, he (Suthar) is that jewel that will be polished now. We haven’t yet seen its shine,” he added.
Jadeja also mentioned that former Indian left-arm spinners were thrilled with Suthar’s performance.
“How you use him can decide whether he can be a part of the greats. We could see a smile on Murali Kartik, WV Raman, and Venkatapathy Raju’s faces when they were talking about him today. It’s almost like a lost skill. The dip he gets, a bowler almost longs for that. It was like the ball was attached to a string. All our faces lit up seeing that skill,” Jadeja observed.
Manav Suthar claimed his first wicket when Dinesh Chandimal was caught behind by Rishabh Pant. He then took the wickets of Lahiru Udara, Prabath Jayasuriya, and Lahiru Kumara to complete his four-wicket haul.
“He is not used to bowling with the Kookaburra ball” – Mohammad Kaif on Manav Suthar’s spell in SL vs IND 2026 1st Test
In the same discussion, Mohammad Kaif commended Manav Suthar for his ability to take wickets at various stages of the match, despite being unfamiliar with the Kookaburra ball.
“He is not used to bowling with the Kookaburra ball. He plays with the SG Test in India. It’s not easy to bowl with the new Kookaburra ball. He picked up a wicket with his first ball. Then he took another wicket when Yashasvi Jaiswal took the catch, and took two wickets later with the old ball,” he said.
Kaif, a former assistant coach for the Delhi Capitals (DC), noted that Suthar has Shubman Gill’s support and highlighted the unique skills the spinner brings.
“Manav Suthar is being backed. Shubman Gill has told him that their eyes are on him. We talk about the fantastic drift, turn, bounce, slowness, and control with which he bowls. Jadeja bowls fast, but his ball forms a loop. His accuracy, mindset, and adjustment to consistently bowl at the same spot will be praised,” Kaif observed.
Manav Suthar’s efforts were complemented by Ravindra Jadeja, who took 3/57 in 21 overs, while Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav each took a wicket.
Edited by Kartik Iyer
