For the first time in 16 years, India played a home Test without Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. For the most fans who have started watching the game in the last decade or so haven’t really seen an Indian team without the two most extraordinary spin-bowling all-rounders play at home. But with Ashwin now retired and the management giving rest to Jadeja, we saw an interesting name come to the fore in the India vs Afghanistan one-off Test. Manav Suthar.
And by the end of Afghanistan’s first innings, he had made sure nobody would forget it anytime soon.
The left-arm spinner returned figures of 6/33 from 22 overs, including 10 maidens, becoming just the 10th Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. Only Narendra Hirwani (8/61) has produced better figures for India on debut.
Why Suthar is different from most left-arm spinners
India seem to have moved past Axar Patel. Ravindra Jadeja isn’t as threatening as he used to be. Kuldeep Yadav is a wrist-spinner, while Washington Sundar is a tall right-arm offie. So, there’s no one exactly like Suthar.
The easiest comparison is Jadeja because both are left-arm finger spinners. The reality is that Suthar is a very different bowler. They might bowl at similar speeds but with Suthar being slightly taller and bowling with a higher arm action, he generates more revs on the ball. And with more revolutions, you’ll get more spin. Basically, Suthar isn’t that much dependent on turning tracks for him to spin a red cherry.
Most left-arm spinners survive on accuracy and subtle movement. Suthar does that too, but he also bowls quicker than most. His stock speed hovers around 90 kmph, a pace usually associated with Jadeja. But again, if you turn the ball, and that at 90 kmph, there’s hardly anything a batter can do.
Suthar is more of a traditional left-arm spinner, something that has become a rarity in this IPL era. Bowlers are more defensive nowadays, and the ploy of beating batters with flight is becoming a dying art.
Suthar’s craft is a dying art
During IPL 2026, Suthar recorded the highest median turn (3.07°) among spinners who bowled at least 30 deliveries. Yes, the sample size is small, but it surely tells something.
He also produced the second-highest median drift (1.60°). And by what we saw against Afghanistan, numbers don’t lie. His groupings were quite phenomenal. in the first innings, as nearly 74% of his deliveries landed at a good length, while another 26% were full. There were no freebies.
That is where the Ashwin comparison begins. Like Ashwin, Suthar creates doubt before he creates wickets. The drift draws batters forward. The dip makes them misjudge length. Then the turn finishes the job. Suthar’s second Test wicket was a real example of that. Bowling from around the wicket, Suthar got the ball to rip past the outside edge repeatedly before forcing an edge off Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s bat.
Best Bowling Figures on Test Debut for India (Single Innings)
| Rank | Player | Bowling Figures | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Narendra Hirwani | 8/61 | West Indies | Chennai | 1988 |
| 2 | Manav Suthar | 6/33 | Afghanistan | Mullanpur | 2026* |
| 3 | Abid Ali | 6/55 | Australia | Adelaide | 1967 |
India’s next spin weapon?
What impressed more than the six wickets was his control. Afghanistan scored off only three deliveries in his first eight overs. Abdul Malik had no idea against him. Gurbaz was repeatedly squared up. Hashmatullah Shahidi couldn’t disrupt his length despite using his feet. Rahmat Shah, Afghanistan’s best batter against spin, only sustained by respecting him with a surreal defensive technique.
There’s no way it looked like Suthar bowled like a debutant. With just 30 first-class games to his name, he isn’t a veteran as well. But, there is very little mystery in what he does. He doesn’t rely on variations like most modern-day tweakers. Just accuracy, natural drift, sharp turn and the confidence to challenge batters.
India aren’t looking for the next Ashwin or the next Jadeja. Those are once-in-a-generation cricketers. But in Manav Suthar, they may have found a prospect, who has some strengths of both legends. Not to mention, the 23-year-old’s batting wasn’t bad too!
Cricket
What makes Manav Suthar special? Turn like Ashwin, speed like Jadeja and India have a gem
