Spinner Manav Suthar described his memorable Test debut as an ‘unreal’ experience after capping it with a Player of the Match performance against Afghanistan on Monday, but the young left-arm spinner insisted that success in the longest format is far from easy.
Suthar, who claimed seven wickets in the match and also contributed a valuable 28 runs in India's first innings, played a central role in India's dominant victory. While the numbers suggested a seamless transition to international cricket, the Rajasthan spinner was quick to dismiss the notion that Test cricket comes easily.
"No, it's not really like that," Suthar said with a smile when Murali Karthik asked if Test cricket was easier than it appeared during the post-match presentation. The match marked the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition for the 23-year-old, who received his India cap before making an immediate impact with both bat and ball.
"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 honestly felt quite unreal,” he said. Suthar's contribution began with the bat as he scored a brisk 28 lower down the order during India's imposing first-innings total of 564/8 declared.
He revealed that the time spent in the middle gave him an early understanding of the surface and the assistance available for spin bowlers. "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,” he said. That approach paid rich dividends. Suthar relied heavily on his stock delivery during Afghanistan's first innings, claiming remarkable figures of 6 for 33 and ripping through the middle and lower order.
He explained that understanding the conditions was more important than immediately searching for variations. "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 stated. His performance earned the trust of the team management, which handed him the second new ball during Afghanistan's first innings, a significant show of faith for a debutant spinner.
"It's a matter of great pride. Being trusted with that responsibility means a lot." Like many young bowlers making their way in international cricket, Suthar also experienced moments where instinct took over. One such instance came when he was convinced an Afghanistan batter was out and pushed for a review that ultimately wasn't taken.
“It was more of a heat-of-the-moment decision. From where I was standing, it looked absolutely plumb, so I felt it was worth taking the review,” Suthar explained. Beyond the wickets and accolades, Suthar believes the match offered valuable lessons about the demands of Test cricket.
His biggest takeaway from a dream debut was the importance of patience and repetition, qualities that define success in the format. "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 mentioned. For a player who arrived on the international stage with expectations but little experience, the debut could hardly have unfolded better.
Yet Suthar's reflections suggested a cricketer already focused less on the celebration and more on the discipline required to succeed in Test cricket over the long term.