Manav Suthar made his Test debut against Afghanistan and picked 7 wickets, including a six-fer.
Both Jadeja and Suthar are part of the Indian squad for the Sri Lanka Test series, along with Kuldeep Yadav and Saransh Jain as fellow spinners.
Kartik believes that as Jadeja is already 37, India must already be considering the next stage of their spin-bowling attack. Because of the young player's ability to contribute with both bat and ball, he saw Suthar as a possible long-term alternative.
Suthar made an immediate impression on his Test debut earlier this year, ending with seven wickets, including a six-wicket haul against Afghanistan in Mullanpur. He also showed promise in India's most recent three-day warm-up match against SLC XI, contributing 45 runs and taking two wickets.
His first-innings score of 41 further showed his all-round ability. Kartik, however, was keen to assess Suthar on his own merits rather than draw direct comparisons with Jadeja.
“I think he is a very, very good bowler. Let's not compare him with anybody. He is old-school; he has many things going very well for him. For me, I was jumping with joy when I was doing that game against Afghanistan, because I was calling that game, and for me to see somebody release the ball like that and have that kind of consistency and have that kind of skill. After a very long time, we are seeing a bowler like that. Maybe for India, it has come at a good time,” Kartik said on Sony Sports.
Kartik also highlighted how Manav Suthar has emerged as a viable alternative to Ravindra Jadeja just as the ace all-rounder approaches the twilight of his career.
"Ravindra Jadeja will punch me the next time he meets me, but at the end of the day, he is on the wrong side of thirty. He is in the twilight of his career, and we don't know how much longer he will play. From that point of view, you are always looking at passing the baton," Kartik added.
Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup and has played only six ODIs since the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy win.
Kartik thinks India may have a viable option when the baton ultimately shifts hands because Suthar is now in the Test setup and has already demonstrated his ability to contribute in both departments.