Sri Lanka Tests Crucial for India’s WTC Hopes, Next Generation of Spinners: Murali Kartik

NEW DELHI — Former India spinner Murali Kartik believes the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka will be important not only for India’s World Test Championship ambitions but also for identifying the bowlers who can lead the team’s spin attack after Ravindra Jadeja.

India enters the two-Test series in the middle of a significant transition following the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin. Jadeja remains a key part of the Test side, but Kartik said India must begin determining who can eventually take over the leadership of its spin department.

“Firstly, it is a crucial tour, very important from the point of view of not just the spinners alone — also the WTC because if we are serious about Test cricket,” Kartik said in an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.

India’s spin options for the tour include Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain, with performances in Galle and Colombo potentially shaping the team’s plans for the remainder of the WTC cycle.

Kartik was particularly encouraged by Suthar’s recent emergence. The young left-arm spinner took seven wickets in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June and is now pushing for a larger role.

“Ravindra Jadeja, as good as he has been for Indian cricket, he is in his, in a sense, I would say, the twilight years of his career,” Kartik said. “From that point of view, Manav Suthar, the way he came in and bowled against Afghanistan was very heart-warming for any old-school spinner who has or knows Indian cricket.”

Kuldeep’s position is another major question ahead of the series. Despite making his Test debut in 2017, the left-arm wrist-spinner has played only 18 matches, with competition from Ashwin and Jadeja, injuries and team combinations frequently keeping him out of the lineup.

Even following Ashwin’s retirement, Kuldeep has played only five Tests, while Washington Sundar has often been preferred because of the additional batting depth he provides.

Kartik said the Sri Lanka series could offer an indication of whether India views Kuldeep as the future leader of its spin attack.

“Look, Kuldeep Yadav has been a match-winner for India,” he said. “But, unfortunately for him, it played out differently when he had Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid at the helm. Now, he has not got that kind of a run-in.”

Kartik pointed to India’s recent Test series in England, where Kuldeep remained on the sidelines despite repeated calls for his inclusion.

“So, it’s very important from that point of view as now that Ravindra Jadeja is in the twilight of his career, is he the leader? Or is it going to be someone else?” Kartik said.

He added that succeeding Ashwin and Jadeja will be a major challenge. The pair followed the successful era of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh and became the foundation of India’s Test spin attack for more than a decade.

“Those are very, very big shoes to fill,” Kartik said. “So, can Kuldeep Yadav be the leader? I think we will find out during the course of this series because it’s very important.”

Kartik also argued that Kuldeep should be judged primarily on his ability as a wicket-taking spinner rather than on whether he can provide the same batting contribution as Jadeja or Ashwin.

“You have to look at him solely as a spin bowler and he is a wonderful bowler. He is a match winner,” Kartik said. “We have seen him pick wickets in different countries. That is the hallmark of a good spinner.”

He said consistent selection and strong player management would also be important in getting the best out of Kuldeep, who has dealt with injuries and long stretches outside the playing XI.

“As a bowler and as a spinner, you want to know that you are going to be a certainty, then you work very differently,” Kartik said. “When you are treated like you are the match winner, then that’s the kind of stuff which you get from a bowler like that.”

India will also face a significant challenge from Sri Lanka’s own spinners, with Kartik identifying left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya as a major threat.

“Prabath Jayasuriya is a pretty good bowler. I think he has been one of their better bowlers of late,” Kartik said.

He noted that India’s recent struggles against spin could encourage Sri Lanka to build its strategy around attacking the visitors with slow bowling, particularly in conditions expected to favor spinners.

“Having seen India bat against spin of late, every team might want to attack India,” Kartik said. “Can you think of an Indian team being attacked by spin? Nobody would have thought like that.”

Kartik said India appears to have prepared for the challenge by taking several additional spinners on tour to provide extensive practice in conditions similar to those expected during the Tests.

“I know match time is very different from nets time. But still, what you can do from your end is prepare well,” he said. “So, I’m hoping that they’re better prepared come these two Test matches.”

The two-Test series, beginning Saturday, will be played in Galle and Colombo and could prove important both for India’s WTC campaign and its efforts to shape a new-look Test side. (Source: IANS)