Manav Suthar Becomes Youngest Indian Spinner to Take 10-Wicket Haul in an Away Test
Manav Suthar has etched his name into the record books, becoming the youngest Indian spinner to claim a 10-wicket haul in an away Test, at just 24 years and 16 days. The left-arm orthodox spinner produced match figures of 10 for 131 in Galle, picking up 4 wickets in the first innings and a superb 6 for 55 in the second, as India sealed a 165-run win over Sri Lanka in the series opener.
Suthar's feat takes him past Harbhajan Singh, who was 28 years and 28 days old when he took 10 for 153 against Sri Lanka at the same venue back in 2008. Ravichandran Ashwin also managed the feat in Galle, aged 28 years and 11 months, when he took 10 for 160 in 2015. Further back, Bishan Singh Bedi was 31 years and 3 months when he claimed 10 for 194 against Australia in Perth in 1977-78, while Bhagwat Chandrasekhar took 12 for 104 in the same series at the age of 32 years and 7 months. Suthar now stands as the youngest of this group of Indian spinners.
It's worth noting the wider record among all Indian bowlers, not just spinners, still belongs to Irfan Pathan, who took 11 wickets against Bangladesh in Dhaka in December 2004 at 20 years and 44 days. Suthar's mark applies specifically to spin bowlers picking up a 10-wicket haul away from home.
The Galle Test was only Suthar's second appearance in whites. He had already made a mark on debut against Afghanistan in June, taking a 7-wicket match haul including 6 for 33 in the first innings. With his 6-wicket second-innings return in Galle, he became just the second Indian bowler after Narendra Hirwani to take a six-wicket haul in each of his first two Tests, and the fourth Indian overall to pick up 10 wickets in a match within his first two Tests.
Suthar now has 17 wickets from just two Test matches, at an outstanding average of 11.35. India captain Shubman Gill praised the youngster after the win, saying he had bowled magnificently both on debut against Afghanistan and again in Galle, calling him a promising talent who could play for India for a long time. Attention now turns to the series decider in Colombo, starting August 23, where Suthar will look to continue his remarkable start to international cricket.