When India were looking for the next left-arm spin option in the Test setup, the clues were already there. Even before Manav Suthar earned his maiden Test cap against Afghanistan, his consistent performances
in domestic cricket had made him one of the names worth watching.
Ahead of the Afghanistan Test, Suthar and Harsh Dubey were among the options being considered as spin support alongside India’s established slow-bowling options. Suthar eventually got the nod and announced himself in dream fashion, picking up six wickets on debut.
Now, with the left-arm spinner expected to feature in India’s Sri Lanka tour plans, that earlier selection call looks even more justified.
Here are three reasons why Suthar’s rise was always coming.
His dream debut showed he belonged at the highest level
There could not have been a better introduction to international cricket.
Suthar picked up a wicket in his very first over against Afghanistan, dismissing Abdul Malik after the batter attempted a sweep against a delivery that bounced extra and lobbed up for a catch.
He then removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, getting the outside edge with a delivery that turned away and was safely taken at slip.
By the end of the innings, Suthar had claimed six wickets, showing the control, patience and variation required for red-ball cricket.
His old-school spin made him stand out
In an era where many bowlers are shaped around shorter formats, Suthar’s biggest strength remains his traditional approach to spin bowling.
The Rajasthan spinner has a classical action and relies on generating revolutions on the ball. His ability to maintain control while producing turn and variation has been one of his biggest strengths.
His Rajasthan coach Anshu Jain highlighted the quality of his bowling, particularly his arm ball and his ability to trouble batters once he finds rhythm.
“He has a very good arm ball. If he gets a pitch that offers even a little bit of assistance, he becomes deadly,” Jain told News18 CricketNext.
His domestic record had already made the case
Long before receiving his India call-up, Suthar had built a strong reputation in first-class cricket.
The left-arm spinner became a key performer for Rajasthan, contributing regularly with both bat and ball. He has taken more than 140 first-class wickets and scored over 1000 runs, underlining his value as an all-round cricketer.
His performances for India A further strengthened his case. Against Sri Lanka A, he delivered a complete all-round performance, taking six wickets and scoring an unbeaten 70 in the second unofficial Test.
