Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey will have big shoes to fill: Bahutule

“This is a transition time for spinners. I feel Harsh and other youngsters who are coming in and have been given chances, will realise that they have big shoes to fill. They have the capabilities, they have the potential but I think the more they will play, the more they will settle down. Harsh is a player who definitely has that potential and can be a good all-rounder,” Bahutule said ahead of the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow.

Suthar took seven wickets — six in the first innings — in the three-day innings win in New Chandigarh, while Dubey bounced back after a tough start in the 25-over ODI in Dharamshala.

“He (Dubey) is a player for the future. He has got the skills, he has got a good temperament and has proved it not only in domestic cricket, but that one game which he got last time, he came back very strongly and did very well. So moving ahead, I am sure the more he plays, the more experience he gets and definitely he will enhance his skill,” Bahutule gave a vote of confidence.

“For me, every spinner is unique. I am sure in the coming time, Harsh will learn from every game and just grow. The selectors, Gautam and everybody, they are having a look at all the spinners. Those who have the potential, those who have the right attributes, they will definitely be given a chance. That is what the process is. In a transition, you have to identify the right bowler,” the spin bowling coach said. “(This is) definitely a series where different players can be tried to see how they respond to international cricket.”

Jadeja is not part of the Afghanistan series, but the 37-year-old remains part of the set-up, and his attributes are still admired.

“Jadeja is very experienced, the way he has performed and the way he has contributed towards Indian cricket is phenomenal with the bat and the ball.”

With so much short-form cricket being played these days, there’s always the temptation towards specialisation, but Bahutule believes quality would come through, whatever the duration of the contest.

“If you are a good bowler, you can bowl in any format. We had Jadeja, we had Ashwin and all these guys, they did well in all the formats. I think there’s definitely a scope for all these young spinners to come in and see how they can perform,” he said.

Match-ups

There’s a lot of emphasis on match-ups, as far as spinners are concerned, but Bahutule said while it was useful to take that information on board, one needn’t be a slave of the tactic. If a bowler backs himself, there’s no harm in going with it even if conventional wisdom suggests otherwise.

“It all depends on the situation of the game. Left-handed batsmen against left-arm spinner and if the ends (boundary) are very short, would you want to risk it or would you want to be brave and get that wicket and have that confidence? I think the confidence is there,” he provided a case study. “So all the left-arm spinners, whoever are aspiring to play for India, are aware that left-handed batsmen can be controlled and you just have to give them confidence. The more they bowl at this level, the more they will perform. I am sure they are also understanding how it is important to bowl to left-handers at the right time and understand the situation well.”