IND vs AFG, One-off Test: Manav Suthar makes Test debut, Gill chooses to bat

India handed a maiden Test cap to left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Manav Suthar after captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bat first in the one-off Test against Afghanistan at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Saturday (Jun 6). The 23-year-old Rajasthan all-rounder received his Test cap from Kuldeep Yadav before the start of play, marking a memorable moment in his cricketing journey.

At the toss, Gill explained that India wanted to take advantage of the batting-friendly conditions before the surface started to slow down.

“We are gonna bat first. Very hot and humid. It’s going to get slower and lower," Gill said. “It’s a great privilege to captain here. The preparation has been good. We’ve got Manav Suthar making his debut."

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Who is Manav Suthar?

Manav Suthar is a promising 23-year-old bowling all-rounder known for his slow left-arm orthodox spin and useful contributions with the bat lower down the order. He represents Rajasthan in domestic cricket and is also associated with Gujarat Titans⁠ in the IPL.

Born in Sri Ganganagar, Suthar’s rise to the national side has been driven by consistent performances in domestic cricket. Widely regarded as one of India’s most brightest red-ball prospects, he has earned his opportunity with the senior team while veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja sits out the Afghanistan Test.

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Suthar first attracted widespread attention during the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, where he finished as Rajasthan’s leading wicket-taker with 39 wickets in six matches. Across 29 first-class games, he has taken 129 wickets and scored 945 runs, underlining his value as an all-rounder.

He also emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the unofficial Test series against Australia A, highlighted by a five-wicket haul and also impressed during the 2023 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

Playing XIs

India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna

Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Afsar Zazai (wicketkeeper), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Mohammad Saleem Safi