Manav Suthar Shines on Dream Test Debut, Credits Patience and Consistency

New Chandigarh: Spinner Manav Suthar described his memorable Test debut as an ‘unreal’ experience after capping it with a Player of the Match performance against Afghanistan on Monday, but the young left-arm spinner insisted that success in the longest format is far from easy.

 Suthar, who claimed seven wickets in the match and also contributed a valuable 28 runs in India’s first innings, played a central role in India’s dominant victory. While the numbers suggested a seamless transition to international cricket, the Rajasthan spinner was quick to dismiss the notion that Test cricket comes easily.

“No, it’s not really like that,” Suthar said with a smile when Murali Karthik asked if Test cricket was easier than it appeared during the post-match presentation.

The match marked the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition for the 23-year-old, who received his India cap before making an immediate impact with both bat and ball. “It was a very unreal feeling. It has been my dream from the very beginning to play for India and to play Test cricket. So it was an incredible moment for me and honestly felt quite unreal,” he said.

Suthar’s contribution began with the bat as he scored a brisk 28 lower down the order during India’s imposing first-innings total of 564/8 declared. He revealed that the time spent in the middle gave him an early understanding of the surface and the assistance available for spin bowlers.

“Even when I went out to bat, I felt quite comfortable. As I settled in and faced a few deliveries, I realised there was a bit of assistance for the spinners on the wicket. Then, when I came on to bowl and delivered my first over, I got the same feeling. After that, my only focus was to keep using the right line, length and pace,” he said.

That approach paid rich dividends. Suthar relied heavily on his stock delivery during Afghanistan’s first innings, claiming remarkable figures of 6 for 33 and ripping through the middle and lower order. He explained that understanding the conditions was more important than immediately searching for variations. IANS

Also Read: “Our Bowling Group Can Take 20 Wickets Anywhere”: Shubman Gill