New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Gujarat Titans left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Manav Suthar has called Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan as the ‘best T20 bowler in the world’, adding that learning from him in the IPL has been one of the most defining experiences in his playing career.

“It has been a hundred percent great learning experience to be honest. He is the best T20 bowler in the world and just completed 1000 wickets in the format. There is no better legend than him in T20 cricket. By bowling alongside him in the nets and getting to talk to him, you get to learn so much.

“He says that the simpler you can keep in terms of bowling things, the better it is. You just have to bowl with good consistency. It feels really good to see, even when I am bowling alongside him,” said Suthar in an exclusive conversation with IANS on Wednesday, facilitated by the franchise.

That simplicity from Rashid was on display when he put out a masterclass in bowling to basics and picked 3-17 in GT’s thrilling one-run win over Delhi Capitals earlier this month. The solid bond with Rashid, as per Suthar, goes well beyond the cricket field. “100 percent I have a very good bond with Rashid bhai. He is a very good human being. He meets everyone very well. If you ask him anything, he explains it to you very well. So, I have a very good bond with Rashid bhai,” he said.

Suthar said the warmth within the GT spin group featuring Jayant Yadav, Washington Sundar and R Sai Kishore has contributed to a family-like environment in the camp. “I have a very good bond with everyone – even with Jayant bhai, Saiki, Washi. Everyone is there to help each other. If anyone wants to ask anything, everyone supports each other as a family,” he said.

That collective spirit, he said, had fed into GT’s strong start to the season, with the IPL 20222 champions clinching back-to-back wins after successive losses. “Obviously, we are in a very good mood to be honest. We won two matches back-to-back and we are now in a very good mood. Our focus is to keep things as simple as possible,” he said.

Reflecting on how the IPL experience had shaped him as a bowler, Suthar, who got his tournament debut in 2024, said facing world-class batters daily had accelerated his growth considerably.

“Obviously, it has changed a lot. When you bowl to such world-class batters, you learn something new every day. You get better day by day by doing that. So, obviously, it has impacted a lot,” he said.

A packed schedule between last year’s IPL and this one – featuring assignments against Australia A, South Africa A, T20 World Cup warm-up matches and a full domestic season – where he also took 13 scalps for Rajasthan in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, only added to Suthar’s growth.

“It has been very good. Between last and this IPL, I was in matches against Australia ‘A’, South Africa ‘A’, T20 World Cup warm-up matches, one-day series and even the domestic season. So, it has been very good,” Suthar said.

Even not getting a chance for a long stretch didn’t deter Suthar. Despite being with GT in IPL 2025, going to England tour with India A and featuring in Central Zone squad in the Duleep Trophy, Suthar didn’t get a single game till he took eight scalps in the second four-day game against Australia A in Lucknow.

Hence its understandable why Suthar credits the GT setup a lot for the rise in his career, starting from being a support bowler to a main squad member. “Being in GT has influenced me a lot. As you said, I was a support bowler in GT before becoming a main team member. When you bowl to a good batter, you get to learn a lot because you get to know his mindset by bowling to him and what he thinks as a batter.

“Obviously, there is a lot of improvement in your game by doing it. Since I have been in this setup, I have grown a lot. When you bowl to a world-class batter, you hundred percent get to learn a lot. So, GT has had a very big influence on me,” he said.

On managing the demands of a year-round calendar, Suthar said fitness has become the key factor in making a switch quickly for playing all three formats. “Fitness is very important. If you want to play cricket all year, because there are matches now. My focus is to stay fit and focus on fitness. Whenever the format changes, I try to switch on in the first 3-4 practice sessions because the format changes, the ball changes and my focus is to switch on quickly,” he said.

His personal philosophy remained anchored in the pursuit of daily improvement of his strengths – of maintaining accurate line and length and relying on flight rather than speed.

“My goal is to back my strength. I have been doing this since childhood. My focus is to make it better day by day because there is no age to learn. When you go to the ground, you learn. My focus is to get better day by day – like what ball should I bowl in which situation,” he said.

Suthar signed off by saying his ability to withstand the IPL’s scorching hot weather stems from growing up in Sri Ganganagar, one of the hottest cities in India. “Yes, it is very hot in Ganganagar. 50-52 degrees is very easy surpassed. So, obviously, it has an advantage.”

–IANS

nr/hs