New Delhi: Manusuther could hardly have asked for a better start to his Test career. The left-arm spinner marked his debut with a three-wicket haul on Day 2 against Afghanistan, drawing praise from the legendary Indian skipper and producing a brilliant batting performance. Sunil Gavaskar.Suther struck in his first over in Test cricket, dismissing Abdul Malik to join the list of Indian bowlers who have taken a wicket in their opening over on debut. He finished the day with figures of 3/34, removing Abdul Malik. Rahmanullah Garbaz And Afghanistan closed on 113/5 as Afsar Zazai, still trailing India by 451 runs.Impressed by the youngster’s all-round display, Gavaskar not only highlighted Soother’s bowling but also the composure he displayed with the bat.“Manav Sothar has certainly had an impressive start to his Test career. What stood out was not just his bowling, but the confidence he showed with the bat, especially the way he used his feet and looked comfortable at the crease,” Gavaskar said while speaking on JioStar’s ‘Cricket Live’.“With the ball, he was extremely accurate and constantly put the batsmen under pressure. There was some help available from the surface, which he used well, but the real test of any spinner is on flatter pitches where more variety and adaptability are required.”While urging caution on judging the spinner only at a helpful level, Gavaskar felt that Sothar had shown enough promise to succeed at the highest level.“Having said that, it was a very encouraging debut and he has shown the qualities to be a strong contender at Test level going forward,” he added.Suther’s selection was supported by a strong domestic record. The Rajasthan all-rounder took 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches at an average of 25.76, including best figures of 8/33. His Red Ball resume also includes six five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket hauls.The 23-year-old also contributed with the bat, scoring 945 runs at 25.54 in 48 first-class innings, including a century and six half-centuries, with a highest score of 120.Earlier this year, Suthar took two wickets in four matches while representing Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
