At a camp in Alur last year, before the Asia Cup and World Cup, a 21-year-old Manav Suthar wreaked havoc, troubling the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav repeatedly. Those who were in the camp and saw this uncapped spinner outfoxing India’s best batters were amazed by his talent. Suthar entered the camp with a reputation as an emerging spinner known for his accuracy. In the camp, he generated drift and turn with the white ball, which caught everyone’s attention and raised curiosity about what he could do with the red ball. Fast forward to January this year, and he was representing India A against England Lions in two matches. He didn’t disappoint, taking eight wickets across three innings.
After a six-month gap, Suthar once again got a chance to showcase his red-ball skills in the Duleep Trophy. This time, the challenge was tougher, with the country’s top 60 red-ball players participating. In the first game, representing India C, Suthar took time to adjust to a surface that favoured pacers, especially on Day One. With no turn available, the left-arm spinner bowled in the low 90s (kph) in the first innings, which allowed Axar Patel to score easily off him. It wouldn’t be wrong to say he looked out of sorts as Axar took the spinners to cleaners.
Suthar soon realised he needed to slow down and focus on avoiding loose deliveries. As a quick learner, he adapted, reduced his pace, and used the rough effectively. He controlled the two variables against India D, causing their flourishing second innings to collapse inside 10 overs. Suthar ended the second day with figures of 5/30 in 15 overs, orchestrating a dramatic collapse, reducing India D from 166/4 to 203/8.
What changed overnight? Suthar reassessed the conditions, learned from the first innings and adjusted his bowling accordingly. Mastering flight and varying pace were key to his success. While he benefited from the footmarks, his ability to consistently land the ball in the right areas was crucial. His spell triggered a collapse, bowling India D out for just 236, despite them being in control at 166/4. His ability to land the ball at the same spot for long periods helped him record the best figures (7/49) by a spinner at the venue in first-class cricket.
The hallmark of his bowling is his willingness to pitch the ball up. Even in the flattest conditions, he is unafraid to challenge the batters. Axar was batting well in the second innings too. After being hit around earlier, most young spinners would have hesitated to pitch the ball up to someone like Axar, but not Suthar. His approach paid off, as he dismissed Axar and won the battle.
Credit also goes to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who gave Suthar a long spell from the TV tower end, from where a total of 13 wickets were taken by spinners during the match. Axar also bowled from the same end in the fourth innings but managed only one wicket. In the second innings, Suthar was consistent, while Axar was not.
Shades of Suthar’s batting ability were seen in the fourth innings. The left-handed batter chipped in with a crucial 19 during the chase, helping India C get across the line. While bowling is his primary skill, Suthar has the temperament to be a decent batter too, with an average close to 30.
As the selectors look to groom the next line of spinners after R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Suthar must continue delivering match-winning performances in domestic cricket to stand out in the tough competition. There are many talented spinners like him at the domestic level — Saurabh Kumar, Shams Mulani, R Sai Kishore, Kumar Kartikeya, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abid Mushtaq and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Despite the competition, with his skills and age by his side, Suthar has a good chance of earning his first India call-up soon. All he needs to do is keep taking wickets, and his case for selection will strengthen.