Just his second Test, Manav Suthar turns hero in India’s win over Sri Lanka

It was only in June that Manav Suthar, the promising bowling all-rounder from Rajasthan, received his maiden India Test cap during the one-off Test against Afghanistan.

The 23-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner is known for his ability to contribute with the bat as a lower-order option. But in Galle on Wednesday, Suthar announced himself on the Test stage with a stunning match-winning performance.

Suthar claimed 6-55 in Sri Lanka’s second innings as India secured a commanding 165-run victory in the first Test at the Galle International Stadium. Playing only his second Test, the young spinner finished with a remarkable match haul of 10-101, his second five-wicket haul in as many Tests.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs, handing India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The victory also earned India 12 crucial World Test Championship points in what was their landmark 600th Test match.

“He has been bowling magnificently. Looks like a very promising guy and someone who can play for India for a long time,” Indian captain Shubman Gill said after the match.

Resuming after lunch on day five, Sri Lanka continued to fight through Sonal Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha. Dinusha, who had produced a century in the first innings, continued his impressive form and moved to 84, raising hopes of another hundred.

However, Suthar changed the course of the match with a sensational triple-wicket maiden in the 76th over.

He broke the partnership when a flighted delivery outside leg stump bounced a little more than expected, forcing Dinusha to glove the ball to Dhruv Jurel at leg gully.

Suthar then produced a superb delivery to dismiss Prabath Jayasuriya for a golden duck. The ball drifted in, gripped off the surface and clipped the top of off stump.

Lahiru Kumara survived the hat-trick delivery, but Suthar needed only two more balls to strike again. Coming around the wicket, he found Kumara’s outside edge, with Rishabh Pant completing the catch behind the stumps.

The dismissal gave Suthar his second five-wicket haul in as many Tests and left Sri Lanka’s resistance hanging by a thread.

Ravindra Jadeja and India’s slip cordon kept the pressure on from the other end, although Nuwantha and Asitha Fernando briefly extended the hosts’ resistance.

Nuwantha showed plenty of defiance, paddle-sweeping Suthar for a boundary to take Sri Lanka beyond 200. But the spinner had the final say.

In the 78th over, Suthar delivered a quicker arm ball that skidded off the surface and breached Nuwantha’s defence, bowling him for 20 and triggering jubilant celebrations in the Indian camp.

India’s victory was set up by Devdutt Padikkal’s magnificent 167 in the first innings, which helped the visitors establish a huge 178-run lead. Rishabh Pant then added a valuable 66 in the second innings, giving India’s bowlers enough runs to attack on a turning surface.