India’s Manav Suthar (ANI Photo)
Ajinkya Rahane Commends Young Talent Suthar
Ajinkya Rahane has expressed optimism about emerging player Suthar, noting his ability to perform well without depending heavily on pitch conditions. The former India captain highlighted this strength in a recent video on his Hindi YouTube channel, stating, “Yes, it is early, but he has done well.” Rahane’s comments reflect a positive early assessment of Suthar’s potential in the sport.
His ability to adjust his pace, angles and approach according to the batter has particularly stood out, strengthening the argument that he can be effective across different conditions. Suthar’s early performances have already established him as India’s lead spinner. Even during the Sri Lanka tour, he was captain Shubman Gill’s first choice whenever the team needed wickets. Since Ravindra Jadeja is gradually becoming more of a batting all-rounder—especially in overseas conditions, Suthar is expected to be India’s leading spinner for the near future. Rahane also turned his attention to India’s next Test assignment in New Zealand, where the conditions are expected to be considerably different from those the team experienced in Sri Lanka. The former India batter believes adapting quickly to the conditions will be central to India’s preparations. He also highlighted the value of match practice ahead of a challenging series. “The conditions will be totally different in New Zealand. You need to read the wicket and adapt that way. In the last five to six years, we have seen that the team adapts well. I expect them to prepare well. The good thing was that they played a practice match in Sri Lanka. If they get the time for that in New Zealand too, it will be very crucial for mental and physical preparation, even skill-wise,” he expressed.