'Top of world': Manav Suthar after shining on Test debut
What's the story
Manav Suthar, a left-arm spinner from Rajasthan, made an impressive debut for India in the one-off Test against Afghanistan. His stellar performance helped India win by an innings and 300 runs, their biggest victory in Test history. Suthar was named Player of the Match after taking seven wickets in total, including a stunning first-innings haul of 6/33.
Record-breaking figures
Records broken by Suthar on Test debut
Suthar's 6/33 is the second-best innings figure by an Indian on Test debut, just behind Narendra Hirwani's 8/61 against West Indies in 1988. His efforts meant Afghanistan were bowled out for 152 runs in the first innings and later followed on, getting dismissed for 112 runs. "It's an unreal feeling. Top of the world feeling. When I went in to bat, I felt good slowly after facing a few balls and when I bowled the first over I wanted to stick to similar lengths and line," Suthar said after receiving the POTM award.
Path to success
Suthar's path to the Indian team
Suthar's journey to the Indian team was not easy. He had been a prolific wicket-taker since the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, taking 39 wickets in six matches. He has been a regular member of India Emerging and India A squads. In just three Ranji matches he played in 2025-26, he took 18 wickets, including a match-winning 8/42 against Chhattisgarh. Overall, Suthar has taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class games along with a century and six half-centuries.
Emotional moment
Brief stint in IPL
Suthar made his IPL debut in 2024 with Gujarat Titans but only played one game that season. He didn't get a chance to play in 2025, but featured in four games in 2026. "It felt good to be back on the field. Now, all the hard work in domestic cricket and for India A has paid off," he said. "I tried to back my stock delivery but I understood that the pitch is slightly slow so I had to put in more effort," Suthar reflected on his plans.
Role models
His thoughts on captain Gill, Yuvraj Singh and Ashwin's influence
Suthar draws inspiration from former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and ex-India off-spinner R Ashwin. He also praised Gill for his captaincy skills, saying, "He is a very good captain, reads the game well, understands the situation, the pitch, and the matchups." Suthar emphasized that he hopes to remain consistent with his bowling in Test cricket, while also stressing on patience as a key element of success in this format.