TimesofIndia.com at Milanpur: Washington Sundar Was effusive in his praise for his Gujarat Titans teammate Manav Sothar, who has made an impressive debut for India with both bat and ball. Left-arm spinner Manav Sothar took 3 for 21 and also scored 28 off 41 balls in his Test debut as India captured the only Test against Afghanistan. The visitors ended the second day on 113 for the loss of 5 wickets in 39.5 overs here on Sunday.“Manav has been outstanding. Those of us who have seen him over the last few years know exactly what he brings to the table, especially in this format. He has great talent and has worked hard on it.” Sunder told reporters at the end of Day 2.“To see him come out and deliver like that on day one, for India, was really special. Credit to him. This is just the beginning, and we’re all expecting big things ahead,” he added.Sattar struck in his first over when Mohammad Siraj completed a running catch to give the spinner his maiden Test wicket, with opener Abdul Malik dismissed for 16. Sattar then caught Rahmanullah Garbaz for 12 before dismissing Afsar Zazai in the final over of the day, taking an easy return catch.“Manav has very strong skills as a true spinner. What stands out is how much he can turn the ball and the revolutions he gets on it. That has been his biggest strength,” Washington said when asked about the youngster’s development.“He has played a lot of red ball cricket over the last two years and has done really well, which has helped him understand the format better. One thing that is 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 is something to watch.”Washington Sundar, who scored his sixth Test half-century, admitted that the pitch was slow and unlikely to improve.“The pitch is slow and it’s expected to be even slower in the next two days. There’s not much bounce, and the ball stays a bit low,” he said.“Because of this, it becomes difficult to drive at the peak. Batsmen have to grind it out, play a lot of balls and build their innings patiently. For bowlers, it corresponds to the right length.“Manav did it exceptionally well. He consistently hit the crucial length, neither too full nor too short. Over a period, that discipline paid off.”
