'Manav Suthar is genuinely special': Washington Sundar lavishes praise on India debutant

TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: Washington Sundar was effusive in his praise for his Gujarat Titans teammate Manav Suthar, who has made an impressive debut for India with both bat and ball. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar picked up 3 for 21 and also scored 28 off 41 balls in his maiden Test outing as India took control of the one-off Test against Afghanistan. The visitors finished Day 2 at 113 for 5 in 39.5 overs here on Sunday.

"Manav has been outstanding. Those of us who’ve seen him over the past few years know exactly what he brings to the table, especially in this format. He’s got a great skill set and has worked really hard on it," Sundar told reporters at the end of Day 2.




"To see him come out and deliver like that on Day 1 at this level, for India, was genuinely special. Credit to him. It’s just the start, and we’re all expecting big things from him going forward," he added.

Suthar struck in his first over as Mohammed Siraj completed a running catch to give the spinner his maiden Test wicket, with opener Abdul Malik departing for 16. Suthar then had Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught for 12 before dismissing Afsar Zazai in the final over of the day, taking a simple return catch.

"Manav has a very strong skill set as a genuine spinner. What stands out is how much he can turn the ball and the revolutions he gets on it. That’s been his biggest strength over the years," said Washington when asked about the youngster's growth.

"He has played a lot of red-ball cricket in the last couple of years and done really well, which has helped him understand this format better. One thing that’s very noticeable is the amount of energy he puts into every delivery. His run-up, load-up and release all reflect that effort. He puts everything into the ball, and that’s something special to watch," he added.

Washington Sundar, who scored his sixth Test half-century, admitted that the pitch was on the slower side and is unlikely to improve.

"The pitch is on the slower side and is expected to get even slower over the next couple of days. There isn’t a lot of bounce, and the ball tends to stay a bit low," he said.

"Because of that, driving on the rise becomes difficult. Batters have to grind it out, play a lot of deliveries and build their innings patiently. For bowlers, it’s about being consistent with the right lengths.

"Manav did that exceptionally well. He consistently hit crucial lengths, not too full and not too short. Over a period of time, that discipline paid off for him."