‘Rajasthan ka Jadeja’: The making of Manav Suthar, India’s latest left-arm spin hope

Manav Suthar (Photo: BCCI) NEW DELHI: Manav Suthar was all set for the biggest day of his cricketing career. Just an hour before his Test debut, he picked up the phone and called his coach Dheeraj Sharma, who was waiting for his student’s call.“Sapna poora ho gya sir. Apna best karunga,” Suthar told Dheeraj on the morning of his debut.Dheeraj didn’t want to keep him long before the match, so he kept the conversation brief. “Beta, everything is there, only the platform is big. Just keep that thought. Play to your abilities, that’s it, everything else will be good.”Soon after, Suthar entered the ground, received India’s Test cap No. 319 from Kuldeep Yadav and was greeted with hugs and congratulations from teammates and support staff.And what followed was the beginning of dreams. He scored a brisk 28 off 41 with the bat, including dancing down the track for two maximums.After India declared at 564/8, Suthar struck in his very first over in Test cricket and then dominated the innings with remarkable discipline.Suthar finished the second day with excellent figures of 3/21 from 15.5 overs as India tightened their grip on the contest.

Rahul Dravid’s advice

Long before Suthar earned his first India call-up and eventual India debut, he caught the eye of one of the game’s greatest minds: Rahul Dravid.According to his coach Dheeraj, Dravid was well aware of Suthar’s all-round abilities, especially his batting, but repeatedly advised him to prioritize bowling if he wanted to build a long-term future in the game.“He was in regular contact with Rahul Dravid. Dravid often coached him during his India A and under-19 days. He knew Manav’s abilities well.He told him, ‘You can always handle batting, but focus on your bowling and maximize it as much as you can’,” Dheeraj told Timesofindia.com.

Manav Suthar with coach Dheeraj Sharma (special arrangement)

While many young cricketers divide their attention between formats, Suthar has decided to invest heavily in red-ball cricket.“In white-ball cricket, there are five players ready to replace you. In Test cricket, there are fewer options. If a player gets injured in white-ball cricket, there is an immediate replacement. The competition is extremely high,” explained the coach.“Manav has been training with the red ball for the past six to seven years. The main goal was clear: if he wanted to play for India, he had to become a strong Test cricketer first.About six years ago, he made a conscious decision to focus on red-ball cricket. Most of the cricket he played was with the red ball and his focus remained firmly on Test cricket,” added Dheeraj.

Manav Suthar with coach Dheeraj Sharma (special arrangement)

Suthar first hit the headlines during the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy season when he emerged as the leading wicket-taker for Rajasthan, taking 39 wickets in just six matches.His performances for India A further strengthened his argument. During the unofficial Test series against Australia A, Suthar finished among the leading wickets and produced a memorable five-wicket haul with returns of 5/107.He also impressed during the 2023 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.In 29 first-class matches, Suthar took 129 wickets while also representing Rajasthan in 25 List A matches and 29 T20 matches.

Shubman Gill’s Backing

Suthar’s rise has also been aided by the faith shown in him by Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill. The left arm tire was picked up by the franchise for Rs 20 crore in the 2024 IPL auction and was retained for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.According to the coach, Suthar spent countless hours bowling with Gill in the nets and the captain preferred to face him during practice sessions.

Manav Suthar (Photo: BCCI)

“Shubman was hugely supportive. He made sure Manav put a lot of nets for him and always encouraged him. The biggest thing is mindset.”“When you play alongside cricketers at this level, your mindset also starts working at that level and that helps you perform better. Playing with the best players in the IPL and around the Indian team teaches you how to handle pressure situations,” said Dheeraj.

Smart like Ravindra Jadeja

Suthar was just 14 years old when he first entered Dheeraj’s coaching setup at the SK Bihani Cricket Academy in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.When the coach asked him what he wanted to be, the teenager had a straight answer: ‘thumb’.But after watching him closely in practice, Dheeraj realized that there was something special about the youngster’s bowling.The coach even stuffed himself and asked Suthar to pounce on him. It took a few deliveries to convince him that the youngster had rare qualities as a spinner.“If you want to play long, you will have to focus more on bowling,” Dheeraj told him.“Initially, he saw himself primarily as a batsman, but I felt potential in his bowling. He gradually realized that he could become even better as a bowler, and began to seriously work on his fundamentals,” the coach recalled.Dheeraj believes that one of Suthar’s greatest strengths is his intelligence as a bowler and the versatility he possesses.“He’s a very smart bowler and has tremendous versatility. He also plays with good aggression. When the conditions offer him help, he can bring the ball back hard.”His seam movement and drift are excellent. His arm ball is the main weapon and both his top spinner and conventional spin are very effective,” he said.

Another Ravindra Jadeja?

With Ravindra Jadeja entering the second phase of his career and India constantly looking for the next generation of spin-bowling all-rounders, comparisons are inevitable.However, Dheeraj is cautious about placing such expectations on his student.

What quality do you think is key to a successful Test cricketer?

“People call him Rajasthan’s Jadeja. He still has a very long way to go but he has huge potential. For now, red-ball cricket remains his top priority,” the coach signed off.