Few cricketers have had such a fantastic maiden or first ever outing in the testing waters of International cricket as that of a certain Manav Suthar. All of 23 and having played 29 first class games for his domestic team (Rajasthan) and a few games in the famed Indian Premier League, here he is- representing the noted bastion of excellence that is the Men’s National cricket team. But the following is what matters in his case and truly counts.
It’s one thing to make your Test debut and something quite different and something truly remarkable to be able to make a strong impact in that. And where it comes to a certain Manav Suthar- 129 first class wickets to his name already- the avid youngster from Rajathan did just that.
But how exactly did he achieve to do something remarkable?
Well, of the ten wickets that fell in Afghanistan’s first innings with the bat, 6 fell to Manav Suthar alone. That’s right. You read that right. He would do the absolutely memorable feat of
A) Taking a wicket on his international test debut B) Capture a fifer in his international debut C) That’s not all; capture a 6-for in his very first effort out there wearing Indian Test whites
No, that’s the kind of performance for which you would use several adjectives. That’s the kind of performance that you would call legendary, simply incredible, and one that stemmed from a great combination of skill and perseverance.
Having said that, in so doing, Suthar became only the 7th Indian spinner and 10th Indian bowler to pick 5 wicket haul on Test debut.
But having said that, here is where it becomes all the more memorable.
The only other person to take a five wicket haul as a spinner in this century whilst playing India on his stage and upon his debut happens to be Ravichandran Ashwin.
Already one can see Manav Suthar rubbing shoulders with grades of the game, such as Ravichandran Ashwin. And interestingly, it is talents like Ashwin, who are raving about Suthar’s skill having passionately admired what was a tremendous display of spin bowling as the youngster from Rajasthan bamboozled six Afghan players thanks to his incredible showing with the red ball
I’m having said all of that, what must also be specifically mentioned here is the very fact that at a time where several youngsters are aiming to prosper and make a name for themselves playing franchise League cricket here is a youngster from Rajasthan who provides himself on representing the Indian men’s national test team. May go a really long way and forge a formidable career, having already begun such a promising note.
