Former Indian chief selector MSK Prasad has expressed concern regarding the future of spin bowling in Indian cricket. He suggested that Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja could be the last of India's high-quality spinners.

Jadeja and Ashwin Despite defending India's strategy of preparing rank-turners for home games, Prasad raised an alarm about the decline in traditional spin bowling talent emerging from domestic cricket.

Prasad emphasized that while Ashwin and Jadeja have carried India’s spin legacy forward, the art of spin is “waning drastically.” He pointed out a worrying trend among young bowlers in domestic cricket, who seem to prioritize economy over taking wickets.

“I think, probably, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin will be the last generation of those quality spinners,” Prasad stated.

“After that, we will always be looking at people who will be a mystery sort of a bowler or people who will be a quickish sort of a bowler bowling six different varieties in a Test match.”

MSK Prasad is of the notion that the decline in spin-bowling quality is partly due to a shift away from spin-friendly pitches in India.

India's cricket landscape has changed, with fewer pitches designed to support spin, which has made it quite challenging for upcoming spinners to develop their skills in conditions that used to be a breeding ground for spin legends.

He noted that this decline is particularly concerning given India's recent success on good batting tracks in countries like Australia and England, where quality spin played an important role.

With Ashwin and Jadeja in the twilight of their careers, Prasad's concerns raise important questions about how the Indian team will adapt when their seasoned spin duo eventually calls it quit from the sport. Ashwin who took 533 wickets in Tests is 38 years old whereas the 35-year-old Jadeja took 309 wickets.