Manav Suthar had a whale of a time in his debut Test match for India over the last few days. At the New Chandigarh Stadium, also hosting its first-ever Test match, Suthar picked up 6/33 in the first innings to register the third-best figures for an Indian. Before him, Narendra Hirwani had taken 8 wickets in each of the innings against the West Indies in 1988.
Suthar took seven wickets in all and was chosen Man of the Match. When India had batted after winning the toss, he contributed with 28 runs. So, it was a complete outing on debut. And as the icing on the cake, the hosts won the match by an innings and 300 runs, their biggest triumph in Test cricket.
“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 I honestly felt quite unreal. 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 ,” Suthar said after picking up his Man-of-the-Match award on Monday.
“Yes, initially my focus was on understanding how the wicket was playing. That’s why I wanted to rely on my stock delivery as much as possible. Once I understood that the wicket was a little slow and required some variation in pace, I started making those adjustments. But the main idea was always to make my stock ball as effective as possible,” he added.
Some important lessons learned!
The 23-year-old left-arm spinner from Rajasthan and Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League also bowled with the new ball in the second innings. “It’s a matter of great pride. Being trusted with that responsibility means a lot,” he said.
Suthar finally shared the lessons that he picked up in New Chandigarh. “The biggest lesson is that consistency is everything. You have to keep bowling in the same area over and over again. I think that’s the most important thing in Test cricket. It’s a format that demands a lot of patience. That’s what I’ve learned — keep being patient, stick to your plans and keep hitting the right areas consistently,” he said.
