Duleep Trophy 2024: Who is Manav Suthar?
Manav Suthar, a left-arm orthodox spin bowler, showcased his exceptional skills in the ongoing Duleep Trophy match between India C and India D. The 22-year-old claimed seven wickets in the third innings as India D went from 166/3 to 236 all-out. Unlike traditional left-arm spinners, Suthar employs a unique approach with a hop and quicker strides. Despite this modern twist, he maintains control over the flight of the ball and consistently pitches it up. Let's decode his profile.
Suthar's strategy stuns opponents in Duleep Trophy
Suthar's strategic bowling led to a dramatic shift in the match, as he single-handedly brought India D's strong innings to a halt within 10 overs. He finished Day 2 with impressive figures of five wickets for 30 runs in 15 overs. The youngster dismissed two more batters on Day 3 morning to finish with figures worth 7/49 in 19.1 overs. This was his fourth First-Class fifer.
Former coach praises Suthar's bowling skills
Vineet Saxena, Suthar's former coach at Rajasthan, praised his ability to get batters out on defense. He highlighted Suthar's versatility in pace and turn as key strengths. "He has turn, he has bounce. And he just does not stick to bowling-flighted deliveries. He has a mix of pace," Saxena told Sportstar. During the match, Suthar successfully dismissed two set batters - Devdutt Padikkal and Ricky Bhui - who were primarily focused on defense.
Suthar's journey from childhood to professional cricket
Dheeraj Sharma, Suthar's childhood coach from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, recalled his early training days. He noted that mastering flight and varying pace were crucial to Suthar's development as a bowler. Since making his debut for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy in 2022, Suthar has raced to 73 wickets in 15 First Class matches. His breakthrough season was 2022/23 when he became Rajasthan's leading wicket-taker with 39 scalps.
Suthar's performance for India A
In 2024, Suthar was selected for the India A team that played against England Lions in three non-official Tests. Despite playing only one match, he managed to take five wickets across two innings. Sharma attributed Suthar's natural affinity for longer formats to his familiarity with the red ball from a young age. The youngster also owns 15 List A and four T20 wickets .
Suthar's success in white-ball formats
Suthar has also proven his mettle in white-ball formats, taking 10 wickets in five matches during the Emerging Asia Cup in 2023. Saxena had an early glimpse of Suthar's prowess with the white ball before witnessing his red ball skills. He even played an Indian Premier League (IPL) game for Gujarat Titans earlier this year. The youngster, however, could not impress much, conceding 26 runs in two wicket-less overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
