17 wickets in the first two international matches of his career, Manav Suthar’s statistics speak for themselves. Suthar’s prowess came to the fore once again as he returned with a match haul of 10 wickets in the first India vs Sri Lanka Test, which concluded on Wednesday. In the same match, the young Devdutt Padikkal scored a classy 167 in the first innings. Former Sri Lanka cricketer Russell Arnold praised the ‘class’ of Devdutt Padikkal and a ‘patient’ Manav Suthar for being the primary architects of India’s emphatic 165-run victory in the first Test at the Galle International Stadium.
Playing in his third Test, Padikkal was the calm aggressor at number three in B Sai Sudharsan’s absence and smashed a career-best 167 in the first innings, which ensured India held complete control of the match. A crucial second-innings 44 from the Karnataka batter’s willow helped India secure a bigger lead over Sri Lanka. His match figures of 4-76 and 6-55 helped him outshine a star-studded spin attack featuring Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
Most others did struggle, and the fact that he’s confident and has been doing really well in all formats, I think this opportunity has come at the right time so that his form also counts. “As you would have seen right throughout the Test match, everyone else did struggle. Arnold compared Suthar’s methodical patience to that of Sri Lanka spin-bowling great Rangana Herath.
But he’s shown a lot of class and quality, and I reckon he’s one that India can expect a lot from,” Arnold said in a virtual interaction organised by Sony Sports Network on Thursday.
With Ravichandran Ashwin retired and Jadeja entering the twilight of his career, alongside India’s ongoing search for a long-term number three following Cheteshwar Pujara’s departure, the emergence of Padikkal and Suthar comes as good news for the Test team.
