Suthar’s 10-wicket haul cements India’s spin strategy
The Rajasthan spinner’s dominant performance in Galle highlights the institutional focus of the National Cricket Academy on domestic talent.
Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar has emerged as a pivotal figure in India’s Test cricket setup following a match-winning performance against Sri Lanka in Galle. The 24-year-old claimed 10 wickets in the first Test, taking four in the first innings and six in the second, to secure a 165-run victory for the Indian side.
The result underscores the effectiveness of the National Cricket Academy’s (NCA) long-term monitoring of domestic players. Suthar’s selection follows a period of sustained domestic success, including 39 wickets in six Ranji Trophy matches during the 2022-23 season. Despite going unsold at the IPL auction ahead of the 2023 season, his performance earned him a Duleep Trophy call-up and a place in the India A squad for the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, where he took 10 wickets in five matches.
The institutional interest in Suthar dates back to his early career. He made his India Under-19 debut in February 2019 against South Africa Under-19 in Thiruvananthapuram, taking four wickets in a nine-wicket win. At the time, Rahul Dravid was overseeing the youth programme. When VVS Laxman took over as head of the NCA in 2021, Suthar’s progress remained under close scrutiny.
According to Suthar’s coach, Dheeraj Sharma, Laxman’s attention was specific. Sharma stated that Laxman told then chief selector Chetan Sharma, “he is a very good spinner, do watch him.” This directive led Chetan Sharma to travel to Jodhpur to observe Suthar in a Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh in January 2023.
In that match, Suthar produced an all-round performance, scoring an unbeaten 64 and claiming 10 wickets. The incident serves as a case study in how the NCA identifies and nurtures talent through direct observation rather than relying solely on aggregate statistics.
Suthar’s trajectory from the domestic circuit to the senior international stage reflects a broader policy of integrating high-performing domestic players into the national framework. His recent success in Galle validates the continued investment in left-arm spin as a key component of India’s Test strategy.
