"Don't think we will ever get someone as good as Ashwin or Jadeja" - Cheteshwar Pujara reckons India haven't found replacements for legendary spin duo
Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes India are yet to find replacements for Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who were left out of the playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth. While hailing the spin-bowling legends, he opined that India will never find someone as good as the two.
India went into the first Border-Gavaskar 2024-25 Test against Australia in Perth with off-spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar as the lone slow-bowling option. Ashwin and Jadeja were left out of the playing XI in a bold decision. Although Sundar did not have a lot to do in the Perth triumph, Team India went on to win the match by 295 runs.
Amid reports that the visitors are likely to go in with the same playing XI for the second Test in Adelaide, Pujara paid tributes to Ashwin and Jadeja for their humongous contribution to Indian cricket. He told ESPNcricinfo:
"You can't have the quality of Ashwin and Jadeja. I have seen a lot of spinners in the Indian domestic circuit, but I wouldn't say that we have actual replacements for them. Yes, we do have some young talented bowlers whom we need to groom, but those are the legends of the game. I don't think we will ever get someone as good as Ashwin or Jadeja. We might have some replacements, but I still feel those guys have contributed a lot to Indian cricket."
On how long India can expect Ashwin and Jadeja to carry on playing, Pujara replied that the decision depends on what the team management is thinking. The 36-year-old elaborated that if India are going to play Sundar as the frontline spinner in England in Tests next year, then the selectors might as well pick someone else in place of Ashwin and Jadeja.
"After the WTC final, we will be traveling to England. That will be an important series. We are going to play five Test matches over there. Do you seen Ashwin and Jadeja fit into that role? Do you want one of them to be part of the playing XI? But, if Washington Sundar is going to play in the XI, then you might as well have someone else be part of the squad," Pujara went on to add.
Ashwin and Jadeja were part of the Indian team that was trounced 3-0 at home by New Zealand. While the latter and Sundar picked up 16 wickets each in the series, Ashwin struggled and managed only nine scalps, averaging 41.22.
Ashwin and Jadeja's exceptional record in Test cricket
Ashwin and Jadeja are second and fifth on the list of leading wicket-takers for India in Test cricket. The former has 536 wickets in 105 matches at an average of 23.95, with as many as 37 five-fers. As for the left-arm spinner, he has picked up 319 wickets in 77 Tests at an average of 23.76, with 15 five-fers.
Both versatile cricketers have made crucial contributions for India with the bat as well in Test cricket. Jadeja has scored 3,235 runs with the aid of four hundreds. Ashwin has 3,474 runs to his name, including six tons.