Manav Suthar on the third day of the first test match between India and Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium, in Galle on Monday (August 17, 2026).
| Photo Credit: ANI
A gentle passing of the baton is on in Indian cricket and this one is centred around left-arm spin.
Just as Ravindra Jadeja copes with sporting twilight, his successor could well be Manav Suthar. The duo was among the wickets in the first innings of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.
Suthar, who made his debut against Afghanistan earlier this year, grabbed four wickets while his senior colleague gained three. “Our main focus was to get wickets in the first session. We did the same in the second session but Sri Lanka batted well. Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella played well and kept rotating the strike. But we got results in the third session,” Suthar told the media on Monday.
Even as Sri Lanka held firm between lunch and tea, Suthar said that the plans were clear: “Our main focus was to get them out and what could be the best mode of dismissal. Even if a wicket didn’t fall in that session, we just focused on creating opportunities.”
After his Test debut, Suthar trained with the Kookaburra ball as it is used in Sri Lanka: “I was practising with the Kookaburra ball after the Afghanistan Test and my plan has always been to bowl in good areas. The Sri Lankan spinners varied their pace and on this pitch, the more consistent you are, the more purchase you get.”
Suthar dismissed Dinesh Chandimal with his very first delivery. “It is a very good feeling to get a wicket off the first ball. It gives you a lot of confidence. The pitch here has some bounce and it has been a good experience to bowl on this surface.”
He also clarified that issues like the ball going soft and the strong breeze did not affect his rhythm.
Published – August 17, 2026 09:01 pm IST
