Manav has shown attributes to be a strong contender at the Test level, says Gavaskar

Manav Suthar has had a dream debut thus far. The left-arm spinner, who bagged a Test wicket in his very first over, has figures of three for 21 off 15.5 overs in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh Stadium on Sunday.

Three of the five Afghan batters dismissed thus far have fallen to Suthar. Such has been his impact in his first India outing. Even before having the ball in hand, Suthar made an important contribution with the bat. His 28, along with Washington’s half-century, was key in India getting to a tall total of 564 for eight declared. Afghanistan, in reply, were reeling at 113 for five with Rahmat Shah batting on 43.

“My focus was to bowl in the right areas and back my strengths. There was help from the surface, so my idea was to get the landing right. Got to know this morning when I came to the ground about my Test debut. I was prepared last evening (because there was a chance of debut). My strength is to turn the ball. So that is what I tried to do. I wanted to land in consistent areas, that was my focus. Had dreamt of playing for India when I started playing Ranji Trophy and domestic cricket. Thankful now. (Playing with Gill) We have been playing together. So, he also knows my strengths and keeps telling me about lines and lengths,” said Suthar.

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar was all praise for Suthar’s impressive all-round show in his maiden Test outing.

“Manav Suthar has certainly made an impressive start to his Test career. What stood out was not just his bowling, but also the confidence he showed with the bat, particularly in the way he used his feet and looked comfortable at the crease. With the ball, he was extremely accurate and consistently put the batters under pressure. There was some assistance available from the surface, which he utilised well, but the real test for any spinner comes on flatter pitches where greater variety and adaptability are required. Having said that, this was a highly encouraging debut, and he has shown the attributes to be a strong contender at the Test level going forward,” said Gavaskar on JioStar’s Cricket Live show.

Manav’s ability to adapt is impressive: Swann

Former England spinner Graeme Swann lauded Suthar’s composure and skill on his debut. “Manav Suthar’s performance was remarkable because from the very first ball of his Test career, he looked completely in control. For any debutant spinner, nerves are inevitable, but he immediately found the right areas, generated excellent revolutions on the ball, and extracted both dip and turn. What impressed me most was his ability to adapt as his spell progressed. Initially, he was attacking around the off-stump line, but he quickly recognised the amount of turn available and adjusted his line straighter, forcing the batters to play more often. His control of length throughout the spell was outstanding, and that tactical adjustment played a key role in creating wicket-taking opportunities. Beyond the wickets, it was the awareness, composure, and consistency he displayed that stood out. For a debut performance, it was an exceptional exhibition of spin bowling,” Swann said.

Manav Suthar’s control of length throughout the spell was outstanding, and that tactical adjustment played a key role in creating wicket-taking opportunities, says Graeme Swann. Pics: BCCI

Prasidh showed excellent awareness

On Prasidh Krishna’s spell, Gavaskar said: “Prasidh Krishna showed excellent awareness and adaptability in the way he approached his spell. As a fast bowler, the natural instinct is often to operate on a shorter length and use bounce to trouble batters, but he recognised the conditions and adjusted accordingly. By pitching the ball much fuller, he was able to generate movement back into the left-handers and create genuine wicket-taking opportunities. Both his wickets came as a result of that adjustment, one through a clean bowled dismissal and the other via LBW. It was a good example of a bowler understanding the conditions, moving away from his natural tendencies, and executing a plan effectively.”

Rahmat was highly impressive

Gavaskar also lauded Aghanistan batter Rahmat Shah on his knock. “Rahmat Shah’s innings was highly impressive because it reflected the mindset and discipline required to succeed in Test cricket. When your team has spent a long period in the field after conceding a big total, the objective as a batter is to respond by occupying the crease and making the opposition work just as hard. He showed exactly that approach, displaying patience, resilience, and a willingness to spend time at the crease. When a side has scored over 500 runs, the belief should be that you can build a substantial reply of your own, and Rahmat’s innings embodied that positive mindset. His application and understanding of the demands of Test cricket stood out, and reaching 1,000 Test runs is a fitting reward for his consistency and commitment,” Gavaskar said.