Manav Suthar’s emergence may force the team management to find a place for him in the playing eleven in the upcoming Test season

Manav Suthar (BCCI Photo) NEW CHANDIGARH: It is very easy to lose Manav Suthar in the crowd. His unassuming demeanor on the cricket field doesn’t quite speak to how important he is to India’s plans to regain red-ball supremacy. It is part of the red-ball spin project that has been carefully designed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the past three years. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!By the time he was named man of the match on his debut against Afghanistan on Monday afternoon, Suthar had become a household name. That India registered an innings win and 300 runs in three days – their biggest lead in Tests – was almost beside the point. It was never expected that India would be pushed here by an inexperienced team from Afghanistan. For captain Shubman Gill and the team management, the match was more about planning for the coming nine months of Test cricket. Suddenly there is a debate about how to accommodate him in the XI when India have all their spin resources available and Ravindra Jadeja is back. The team management, selection committee and coaching staff at the Center of Excellence (CoE) have seen enough of Suthar to know that he will be the next spinner to be called up to the Test squad in the near future. A spell of 6/33, showcasing the insidiousness of conventional left-arm spin, to bowl Afghanistan out for 152 in the first innings before lunch was enough to let the world know why the custodians of India’s talent pool are so protective of him. Suthar was given the new ball after Afghanistan were asked to continue before allowing senior spinners Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav to have a decent spell. Washington and Kuldeep finished with figures of 4/36 and 3/30 respectively to end the proceedings and Afghanistan were bowled out for 112 in 35.5 overs. In the 94.2 overs that India bowled in the match, Suthar revealed his armoury. He even pulled off a deadly arm-ball to claim his only wicket in the second innings. The batting in Afghanistan may not be at par with the quality of batting that Suthar mixes in domestic cricket. Still, it was important for him not to lose control of his craft. After much of the Test match, especially when the pitch offered minimal slow spin on the second day, Suthar proved to be a more effective option than Washington and Kuldeep. Jadeja’s bowling has worried the team management and selectors for the last couple of years. His consistent contributions with the middle-order bat in England last year gave his career a breather. In the background, however, Indian cricket was preparing for life without Jadeja. “Manav has been part of the system for three years now. The BCCI system has given him exposure from the Ranji Trophy to the emerging India team and in between that was India ‘A’ and the IPL,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said after the Test, adding, “He bowled well but batted really well. That’s actually very satisfying.” It is well known that head coach Gautam Gambhir prefers players with dual skills! With consistent all-round performances, Washington has become an indispensable part of the Test XI. Following this Test, the team management announced that they are looking for a fourth spin option in addition to regular players in Jadeja, Washington and Kuldeep. As things stand, Kuldeep’s lackluster performances in the domestic season last year may also open up an opportunity for Suthar if India opt to play on the likely diversionary tracks in Sri Lanka in August. Suthar has done a flurry of things in Indian conditions. India’s chances of qualifying for the Test World Cup finals may boil down to five Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when Australia come to visit in January. Indications are that India are reluctant to play the raging turners, where the batsmen have surrendered to overseas spin attacks twice in the last two years. The stunning returns from the spinners on a decent pitch in the last Test against South Africa in Guwahati last November led to a demand for more potency in the spin attack. Suthar is a long term project. It will be interesting to see how soon the Indian team management feels that he is the first choice toner in the XI.