Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has called on the Indian team management to begin planning life after Ravindra Jadeja in Test cricket, saying the veteran all-rounder no longer delivers the same penetration as a frontline spinner. Dasgupta made the remarks following India's two-Test series in Sri Lanka, where he felt the spin attack fell short of expectations on surfaces that should have favoured the slower bowlers.

Where India's Spinners Fell Short

Jadeja, now 37, finished the Sri Lanka series with eight wickets across four innings — a return Dasgupta considered underwhelming given the conditions on offer. The former wicketkeeper was particularly critical of India's inability to dismantle Sri Lanka's lower order during the closing stages of the second Test in Colombo. Despite enforcing the follow-on, India's spinners could not prevent Sonal Dinusha from posting a century and helping his side construct a substantial lead.

'Apart from Manav, our spinners didn't look as lethal as we expected. I'm not saying there is no ability. On such pitches, Jadeja has always been very destructive and lethal. I thought he would be crucial on the fifth day. He has been a great servant, but it's done now. He was not as accurate as he is. His action is very shoulder-dominant,' Dasgupta said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.

No-Ball Problems Add to Spin Concerns

The series also exposed a recurring discipline issue in India's spin ranks. Saransh Jain, on his Test debut in Colombo, overstepped four times, while Jadeja was also flagged for a no-ball. Dasgupta traced the problem to training habits, arguing that lax standards in the nets inevitably surface in match situations.

'If you are not careful in the nets, it will happen. Even when I was playing, a lot of them would bowl from ahead and say it would not happen in the match, but they would repeat the same thing in the match. You need to avoid this in the nets. This issue is not new with Jadeja; it has only gotten worse,' he added. Notably, young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar was singled out by Dasgupta as the one bright spot in an otherwise muted spin display.

Dasgupta's Succession Blueprint

Looking ahead, Dasgupta identified Washington Sundar as the most natural long-term successor to Jadeja's spin-bowling all-rounder role, while suggesting Suthar could mature into a specialist left-arm option. 'We need the next line of spinners to be ready. We need Washington Sundar to be ready. He is absolutely the same as Jadeja. So when Jadeja decides to hang up his boots, you need someone who can do the same work. We have to make sure he is ready. It is an important slot,' Dasgupta said.

Jadeja's Historic Milestone Provides Context

The critique arrives at a complicated moment for Jadeja. During the Sri Lanka series, he became only the fourth player in Test history to complete the double of 4,000 runs and 350 wickets — a landmark that underscores just how singular his contribution to Indian cricket has been. Dasgupta acknowledged as much, framing his assessment not as a dismissal of Jadeja's legacy but as a pragmatic call for succession planning. This comes amid a broader debate within Indian cricket circles about the long-term composition of the team's spin attack as several senior players approach the twilight of their careers.

What Happens Next

India's team management has not publicly responded to Dasgupta's assessment. With a demanding Test calendar ahead, selectors will face mounting pressure to give Washington Sundar and Manav Suthar extended runs to establish themselves. Whether Jadeja retains his place as the automatic first-choice spinner — or finds himself in a more rotational role — is a question that India's next home Test series is likely to force into the open.