Suthar: Test Cricket Remains My Top Priority

Manav Suthar took his first 10-wicket haul in Test cricket during India’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle. The left-arm orthodox spinner finished with 10/131 after taking four wickets in the first innings and 6/55 in the second.

India won the match by 165 runs on the fifth day, just minutes before heavy rain may have changed the outcome and given Sri Lanka hope.

Suthar’s performance came in just his second Test match. He made his Test debut in June against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, where he took seven wickets and was named Player of the Match. At 24 years and 16 days old, he became the youngest Indian to score a 10-wicket haul on foreign grounds.

Suthar is the fourth Indian to take a 10-wicket haul in only their second Test match.

He joins Narendra Hirwani, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, and Axar Patel in this elite group. Hirwani remains the quickest to reach the milestone, taking 16 wickets on debut against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988.

The historical milestone and peer group

The young spinner underlined the need of patience and teamwork in achieving success in Galle. He discussed his interactions with senior spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav during the match, emphasising how their combined approach influenced the bowling strategy.

Patience and collaboration during the bowling attack.

Suthar remarked on the significance of winning the first game of the series and the boost it gave the team. Starting a series with a solid individual performance and a team victory boosted confidence for the upcoming matches.

This victory in Galle gave India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The victory also marked India’s 600th Test match. Suthar now joins Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, and Ravichandran Ashwin as Indian spinners to take 10 wickets in a match against Sri Lanka.