NEW DELHI: Watching 23-year-old Manav Suthar weave his magic against Afghanistan in the one-off Test at Mullanpur must have brought back memories for Ravichandran Ashwin. Like Ashwin did on his own Test debut in 2011, the Rajasthan left-arm spinner made an immediate impact on the biggest stage, scripting history with a sensational six-wicket haul in his maiden Test innings.Handed his Test cap against Afghanistan, Suthar announced his arrival in style, returning figures of 6/33 as Afghanistan were bowled out for 152 in reply to India’s imposing 564/8 declared. The performance earned Suthar a place in the record books. His 6/33 is the best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut in 38 years. The last Indian to produce a better effort in a debut Test innings was Narendra Hirwani, who famously claimed 8/61 against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988 before finishing with a remarkable match haul of 16 wickets.Suthar also joined an exclusive club of Indian bowlers to take six wickets in an innings on Test debut. Before him, only Narendra Hirwani, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dilip Doshi and Syed Abid Ali had achieved the feat.The 23-year-old further became only the 10th Indian overall – and the seventh spinner – to register a five-wicket haul on Test debut.Ashwin, who himself picked up nine wickets in his debut Test against the West Indies in Delhi in 2011, including figures of 6/47 in the second innings, was among the first to congratulate the youngster.“Manav Suthar. Best wishes for a wonderful career ahead,” Ashwin wrote on social media.Suthar’s feat is significant for more than one reason. He became only the second Indian this century to claim a five-wicket haul in his maiden Test innings after Amit Mishra, who took 5/71 against Australia in 2008.His figures are also the second-best by any bowler against Afghanistan in Test cricket, behind Rahkeem Cornwall’s 7/75 in Lucknow in 2019.
- Best bowling figures in a debut Test innings for India:
- 8/61 – Narendra Hirwani vs West Indies, Chennai, 1988
- 6/33 – Manav Suthar vs Afghanistan, Mullanpur, 2026*
- 6/55 – Syed Abid Ali vs Australia, Adelaide, 1967
- 6/103 – Dilip Doshi vs Australia, Chennai, 1979
With his dream debut, Suthar has not only etched his name alongside some of India’s finest spin bowlers but also given a glimpse of what could be a bright future in Indian cricket.
