Manav Suthar (Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry photo)
New Delhi: It was nothing less than a dream debut for Manav Suthar as the young left-arm pacer made an instant impact for India on the second day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan at the Maharaja Yadavendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.Captain Shubman Gill threw a red cherry to Southar just before tea on the second day and gave the debutant his first spell in Test cricket.
It didn’t take long for the 23-year-old to make his mark.On the fourth ball of his Test career, Southar struck. Abdul Malik tried to sweep but could only manage the top edge, with Mohamed Siraj leaping forward from back square leg to complete a sharp catch.The wicket sparked jubilant celebrations as Southar claimed his first Test scalp.
Teammates rushed to the venue with hugs and high-fives, while the turntable was immersed in a moment he will cherish forever.This breakthrough was not only memorable, it was historic.By batting in his maiden Test match, Suthar became only the eighth Indian cricketer to take a wicket in his first Test match. Remarkably, he joins a list that spans nearly eight decades and includes only seven other names in the history of Indian cricket.
The exclusive club includes Montu Banerjee (vs West Indies, 1948), Manohar Hardikar (vs West Indies, 1958), Vaman Kumar (vs Pakistan, 1961), Chetan Sharma (vs Pakistan, 1984), WV Raman (vs West Indies, 1988), Nilesh Kulkarni (vs Sri Lanka, 1997) and Tino Yohanan (vs West Indies, 1988). England, 2001).What makes Southar’s achievement even more special is that no Indian has achieved the feat for 25 years since Johannan dismissed Marcus Trescothick in the opening match for the first time against England in 2001.Selected ahead of fellow bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey, Suthar vindicated the faith of the team management almost immediately. Before the match, he took his 319th Test cap from senior pacer Kuldeep Yadav, becoming India’s first Test bowling specialist since Axar Patel’s 2021 debut.
Should Suthar be a permanent member of the Indian Test team based on this performance?
The Indians take a wicket in their first time in men’s Tests
| player | vs | year |
|---|---|---|
| Montu Banerjee | West Indies | 1948 |
| Manohar Hardikar | West Indies | 1958 |
| Vaman Kumar | Pakistan | 1961 |
| Chetan Sharma | Pakistan | 1984 |
| W. V. Raman | West Indies | 1988 |
| Nilesh Kulkarni | Sri Lanka | 1997 |
| Tino Yohannan | England | 2001 |
| Manav Suthar | Afghanistan | 2026 |