New Chandigarh, June 8 (IANS) India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak hailed debutant Manav Suthar’s outstanding performance against Afghanistan, saying the left-arm spinner’s rise was a reflection of the strong domestic and developmental structure in Indian cricket.

Suthar made a remarkable international debut, taking 7 for 62 and winning the Player of the Match award as India defeated Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs in the one-off Test at New Chandigarh.

The 22-year-old spinner played a key role in India’s strong performance. He helped dismiss Afghanistan for just 152 in the first innings and contributed to another collapse in the follow-on. He also added helpful runs lower down the order, impressing the team management with his overall contribution.

Reflecting on Suthar’s impressive debut, Kotak noted that the young player’s success came from years of development in India’s cricketing system. “He has been playing for two or three years – India A, India Emerging, and all. It was a great opportunity for him. He bowled really well and also batted effectively, which is very satisfying.”

Kotak added, “The structure of the BCCI is such that players move from age groups to the Ranji Trophy, then to the Emerging team, onto India A, and eventually to the national team. The IPL also provides great exposure for all the players.”

India scored a huge first-innings total before bowling Afghanistan out quickly, leaving them with the choice to bat again or enforce the follow-on. Despite the hot conditions, India decided to send Afghanistan back in. Kotak explained that this choice was part of preparing the team for future challenges.

“If they had batted until the second session, then maybe we would have batted again. But since we scored so many runs and they got out for 152, everyone thought that if they got out before lunch, we should try to bowl again.”

He continued, “There will be times when we have to bowl 100 or 120 overs in one innings or across two innings. It’s not just about practising batting. We also need to work on bowling longer spells of spin.”

While Suthar excelled on his debut, Washington Sundar also played a significant all-round role, scoring a half-century in the first innings and taking 4 for 36 in the second. Kotak praised Sundar’s maturity and versatility, noting how his time with India A and the senior team has made him a reliable player.

“Usually, he bats at seven or eight. In the Kolkata Test, due to the pitch conditions and thinking about the left-right batting combination, he batted higher up. But he has been part of the system since India A. He was part of the first series I did in 2019. He is very mature, I believe.”

“In red-ball cricket, he contributed with both bat and ball. He is a very useful player. He has the right temperament. Whether he gets the opportunity to bowl or bat, his work ethic and behaviour stay consistent.”

“There are players who feel disappointed. If you keep working hard for six, seven, or eight years and continue to mature, I believe you will perform,” Kotak stated.

Although the one-off Test doesn’t count towards the World Test Championship standings, Kotak sees it as an important step in India’s efforts to address issues revealed during last year’s tough tour of South Africa.

“We discussed that the IPL just finished, and the challenge was to quickly switch back to red-ball cricket within four or five practice sessions. We talked about certain areas, especially the batting unit, in Guwahati, and revisited those topics.”

“In England, our batters did really well against fast bowlers. In the South Africa series, we could have performed better against spin. Many people say our batters struggle against spin; I don’t agree with that.”

–IANS

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