The young left-arm spinner has been on a rampage in test cricket again on Monday, finishing up with a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle. The man has been preparing for this moment ever since he spent 10 days in the BCCI Center of Excellence, which got him accustomed to the conditions in which he had to bowl.
In CoE, Manav used to practice with Kookaburra brand balls, as they have the same core as the ones used in Galle. Furthermore, the pitches there were also assisted by strong winds, which were a crucial factor in getting used to the conditions. It was also mentioned that the coach worked on his footwork, which helped him immensely at the Test match.
Manav Suthar's Patience Keeps Sri Lanka in Check
“I was practicing with the Kookaburra ball after the Afghanistan Test, so my preparation for the first Test match of this series was really simple. I aimed to bowl good line and length with correct pace as the wicket here offers some bounce, which is mandatory to bowl at good length,” Suthar said.
Manav Suthar's efforts bore fruit as he bowled a splendid spell of 4-76. Even though the Sri Lankan batters, centurion Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella, laid a strong foundation for the innings in the evening session, the left-arm spinner maintained his composure and kept on troubling the batters.
India had already put pressure on the Sri Lankan innings as they restricted them to 99 for five by lunch, but Dinusha and Dickwella steadied the innings and threatened to make a big recovery. Suthar, however, remained focused and laid emphasis on following the plans rather than getting influenced by the good partnership between the two openers.
“Our main idea was to take wickets in the first session. We didn't get any wickets in the second session but got rewards in the third session. So, our main aim was to bowl in good areas consistently,” he said.
Also read: Dinesh Chandimal Taken to Hospital After Shoulder, Neck Injury in Galle Test
Manav Suthar also said that they were forced to change their plans because the Sri Lankan batters were rotating strike well.
“They were rotating strike well. So, we need to plan accordingly. So, our main focus was to bowl a stump-to-stump line and find the right pace to bowl for this particular wicket,” he added.
Suthar also talked about the positive impact of bowling alongside Ravindra Jadeja. The 24-year-old pacy left-arm spinner had the opportunity to learn from one of the best all-rounders in the history of Indian cricket as Jadeja not only completed 350 Test wickets but also picked up three wickets in the game.
“There are a lot of things which I can learn from him (Jadeja). He makes the best use of the bowling crease. His line and length when he bowls at the stumps is world-class. So, there are a lot of things to learn from him,” Suthar opined.
Meanwhile, he also said that one can only master the art of bowling with a consistent rhythm if one gets opportunities to bowl to different kinds of batters.
“How long can I bowl at the stumps? So, he (Jadeja) doesn't get affected by the batters at all. So, can I get a false shot? So there are a lot of things to learn from him,” he added.
The young spinner also revealed that he had been observing the Sri Lankan spinners who were in the playing eleven for the first two days of the Test match.
“They were really good. They varied their pace well, and I feel that on this particular wicket, the most important thing is to bowl consistently and with a good rhythm. So, that's what we did,” he stated.
Manav Suthar also spoke about his confidence levels as he dismissed the veteran opener Dinesh Chandimal on the first ball of his Test debut.
“It's a good feeling to take a wicket on the first ball. It gives you a lot of confidence going ahead in the game. I was also playing for Warwickshire county cricket,” he said.