Manav Suthar's CoE Kookaburra work sets up four-wicket haul in Galle Test
Manav Suthar took 4 for 76 against Sri Lanka in the opening Test in Galle on Monday as India (462) led Sri Lanka (284 in 79.4 overs) by 178 runs at stumps on Day 3. The 24-year-old's spell followed a 10-day stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence where he practised with Kookaburra balls.
Suthar spent those 10 days training in an open field at the CoE with the wind blowing across the ground to recreate conditions similar to Galle, and coaches worked with him on his approach to the crease to prepare him for bowling long spells. "I was practising with the Kookaburra ball after the Afghanistan Test. So, my plan was pretty simple to bowl in good areas, right length, right speed as the wicket here offers some bounce too which makes it mandatory to bowl at the right line," he said after the day's play.
India had reduced Sri Lanka to 99 for five by lunch, but Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella mounted a post-lunch resistance that frustrated the Indian attack. Suthar maintained his discipline through that partnership and his consistent lines contributed to breaking the stand later in the day. "Our main focus was to get wickets in the first session. We didn't get wickets in the second session but we got results in the third session. So, our focus was to keep bowling consistently in good areas," he said.
Against Dinusha and Dickwella the tactical approach was to attack the stumps and vary pace appropriately for the pitch while waiting for an opportunity to present itself. "They were rotating the strike well. So, we needed to plan accordingly. So, our focus was on how we can create opportunities by bowling stump to stump line and find the right pace to bowl for this wicket," Suthar added.
Suthar bowled alongside Ravindra Jadeja in Galle, and he singled out the veteran left-armer's use of the crease and consistency as learning points. Jadeja finished the match with three wickets and completed 350 Test wickets during the game, while Suthar claimed four, but he emphasised the value of observing Jadeja's methods. "There are a lot of things that I can learn from him. He uses the (bowling) crease so well. His consistency while bowling at stumps is world class," Suthar said.
He had also been studying Sri Lanka's spinners across the opening two days and saw their variation of pace as reinforcement of his CoE work on consistency and pace control. "They bowled well yesterday. They varied their pace and I feel that on this wicket, the more consistent you are, the more purchase you get. So that's what we were trying to do," he said. Suthar dismissed Dinesh Chandimal with his first ball of the Test, a moment he said boosted his confidence, and he pointed to his County stint with Warwickshire as another useful part of his preparation. "It's a very good feeling to get a wicket on the first ball. It gives you lots of confidence throughout the game," he said, while also pointing to his County stint with Warwickshire as another valuable part of his preparation.
Suthar's performance in Galle was founded on targeted preparation at the CoE, time with the Kookaburra ball, experience in County cricket and learning alongside Jadeja, and those elements combined to produce his four-wicket return when the opportunity arose.
