3 young all-rounders who India must groom as Ravindra Jadeja's successor ft. Nishant Sindhu
Considered among Team India and IPL's most unsung heroes, Ravindra Jadeja has carved a legendary career as impactful as any cricketer. The all-rounder has been among India's most accomplished match-winners across formats for over 13 years.
Regarded as one of the best all-rounders in the world, Jadeja became the fifth Indian and the fifth-fastest overall to 2000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket in 2021. With 275 scalps, the Gujarat-born cricketer is the seventh leading wicket-taker for India in Tests. He has also been invaluable with the bat for Team India in the red-ball format, scoring over 2800 runs at an average of 36.41 with three centuries.
Jadeja's white-ball numbers aren't far behind, with over 3000 runs and 271 wickets in ODIs and T20Is combined. The left-arm-spinner also boasts four IPL titles, three with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), including pulling off a miraculous finish with a six and a four to help CSK clinch their fifth title last season.
The veteran all-rounder is also in the top 10 for most wickets by an Indian in ODIs and overall in IPL history.
While the numbers and records are aplenty, Ravindra Jadeja's impact rests on his intangibles of picking up wickets or scoring runs at the most pivotal times for the teams he has played for. Add to it his fielding, arguably the best in the world, and there is little doubt Jadeja has offered a "3-D" package in all formats like very few in cricket history.
As he turns 35 today, India must realize that the champion cricketer is potentially at the fag end of his illustrious career and look to groom all-rounders of similar ilk for the future.
Keeping that in mind, let us look at three young all-rounders who could be successors to Ravindra Jadeja.
#1 Nishant Sindhu
At just 19, with less than two years of first-class experience, Nishant Sindhu has already displayed glimpses of being the next generation's Ravindra Jadeja.
Following incredible success at the U14 and U16 levels for Haryana with bat and ball, Sindhu made his way to the Indian U19 squad for the 2022 World Cup. During India's triumphant run, the youngster bagged six wickets at an average of 16.83 and an economy rate of 3.09.
Sindhu also scored 140 runs at an average of 46.66 and a strike rate of over 93 in the tournament.
His promising all-round skills have enhanced his reputation to the point where CSK picked him up for the 2023 IPL season. Although he did not play a single game, sharing the dressing room with the legendary combination of MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja would have done wonders for Sindhu.
The 19-year-old was recently retained by the franchise, which is a testament that Sindhu may eventually replace or play with Jadeja for CSK in his developing years.
Sindhu was also the leading wicket-taker of this year's ACC Men's Emerging Cup with 11 wickets in five games at a stunning average of 11.81 and an economy rate under four. He has also averaged over 35 with the bat and picked up six wickets for Haryana in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Such a trajectory would make Sindhu among the front runners to be a successor to Jadeja soon.
#2 Manav Suthar
Like Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar rose to fame during India's final run of the 2023 ACC Men's Emerging Cup.
Batting lower down the order, Suthar could not showcase his skills with the willow, scoring only 28 runs in his two innings. Yet, his left-arm spin worked wonders, with 10 wickets in five games at an average of less than 20.
His 3/36 off 10 overs against Pakistan A helped India register an eight-wicket win in the group stages. Suthar also impressed for Rajasthan in the previous Ranji season with 39 wickets in six games, including three four-wicket and two five-wicket hauls.
In only his fifth first-class outing and the third game of the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy against Puducherry, he did an improbable double with bat and ball, scoring 96* and picking up figures of 8/33 in the first innings.
Manav Suthar followed that with another three wickets in the second innings to help Rajasthan win by an innings and 101 runs. He has also picked up five wickets in three games in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Having already been a net bowler for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2022 and being part of the Central Zone squad in the Duleep Trophy earlier this year, Suthar is certainly knocking on the doors as a like-to-like successor to Ravindra Jadeja.
#3 Kishan Singha
Kishan Singha of Manipur burst onto the Indian domestic scenes in early 2021. While 28 wickets and over 450 runs in 48 combined List-A and T20 games isn't all that impressive, the 26-year-old has performed remarkably with bat and ball in red-ball cricket.
Singha's hattrick against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2022 Ranji Trophy brought him to the limelight, following which the left-arm spinner has gone from strength to strength. He was the third leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy this season, with 44 wickets in seven games at a stellar average of less than 17, including four four-wicket and three five-wicket hauls.
Despite playing only 12 first-class games, Singha boasts sensational numbers with bat and ball. He has picked up 61 wickets at an average of just over 20 while scoring almost 400 runs at an average of 24.18 with two half-centuries.
He has scalped seven wickets in as many games in the ongoing Vijay Hazare trophy, evidence of his improving white-ball prowess.
With a simple and repeatable action like Ravindra Jadeja, Singha could be one for the future, especially in the red-ball format.