Who is Manav Suthar, India’s new spin wizard?

Manav Suthar, a 24-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner, has quickly made a name for himself on the international Test stage. The Indian skipper, Shubman Gill, considers Suthar to be more than just a spin bowler, believing he possesses the skills of an all-rounder. During the first Test in Galle, Suthar showcased his talent by taking 10 wickets for 131 runs, including three wickets in an over. This remarkable performance secured India a crucial 165-run victory.

India had entered the first Test with high expectations, knowing they needed to win at least seven out of the next nine Test matches to qualify for the WTC finals. The team went into the game with three spinners on hand, two left-arm orthodox spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Suthar, and one left-arm unorthodox spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. While Jadeja managed four wickets, Suthar's performance truly stood out.

Suthar's ability to bowl long spells and consistently maintain a stump-to-stump line has been a major talking point. He has also shown promise with the bat, scoring 33 runs in the Sri Lanka Test and 24 in the previous match against Afghanistan. With these skills, Gill believes Suthar has the potential to become a quality No. 8 batsman and provide much-needed balance to the team.

The young spinner has already made history by surpassing the best figures set by legends Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin in Sri Lanka. At just 24, Suthar has shown immense promise and is expected to continue delivering on this potential.