Manav Suthar (Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry photo)
New Delhi: Manav Suthar could not have asked for a better start to his Test career. The left-arm pacer made his debut with three wickets on day two against Afghanistan, earning praise from the legendary India captain and batting brilliantly from Sunil Gavaskar.Suthar struck in his first match in Test cricket, dismissing Abdul Malik from entering the elite list of Indian bowlers who have taken a wicket on their opening debut. He finished the day with figures of 3/34, removing Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Afsar Zazai as Afghanistan closed on 113/5, still trailing India by 451 runs.Gavaskar was impressed by the youngster’s all-round display, highlighting not only Suthar’s bowling but also the composure he showed with the bat.
“Manav Suthar has certainly had a great start to his Test career. What stood out was not just his bowling, but also the confidence he showed with the bat, especially in the way he used his feet and looked comfortable at the crease,” Gavaskar said while speaking on ‘Cricket Live’ on JioStar.“With the ball, he was extremely accurate and constantly put the batsmen under pressure. There was some help available from the surface, which he used well, but the real test for any spinner comes on flat pitches which require greater versatility and adaptability.”
While urging caution about judging a spinner only on a useful surface, Gavaskar felt Suthar had shown enough promise to suggest he could succeed at the highest level.“However, this has been a very encouraging start and he has shown the attributes that will make him a strong contender at Test level in the future,” he added.Southar’s selection was backed by a strong local record. The Rajasthan all-rounder took 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches at an average of 25.76, including best figures of 8/33.
His red-ball CV also contains six five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket hauls.The 23-year-old also contributed with the bat, scoring 945 runs in 48 first-class innings at an average of 25.54, including a century and six fifties, with a top score of 120.Earlier this year, Suthar represented the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, where he took two wickets in four matches.