Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar marked his Test debut in spectacular fashion, claiming a seven-wicket match haul and earning the Player of the Match award as India registered a dominant innings-and-300-run victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test in New Chandigarh.

The 23-year-old spinner played a pivotal role in India’s emphatic triumph and later reflected on the lessons he learned from his first experience in the longest format. According to Suthar, consistency and patience proved to be the key ingredients behind his success on a pitch that increasingly favoured spin bowling.

“The biggest lesson is that consistency is everything. You have to keep bowling in the same area over and over again. I think that’s the most important thing in Test cricket. It’s a format that demands a lot of patience,” Suthar said after the match.

“That’s what I’ve learned; keep being patient, stick to your plans and keep hitting the right areas consistently.”

For the young spinner, the occasion carried special significance as he fulfilled a lifelong ambition of representing India in Test cricket.

“It was a very unreal feeling. It has been my dream from the very beginning to play for India and to play Test cricket. So, it was an incredible moment for me and honestly felt quite unreal,” he said.

Suthar revealed that his time at the crease before taking the ball helped him understand the nature of the surface. The experience allowed him to assess the conditions and formulate a clear bowling strategy.

“Even when I went out to bat, I felt quite comfortable. As I settled in and faced a few deliveries, I realised there was a bit of assistance for the spinners on the wicket,” he said.

Initially, the left-armer relied heavily on his stock delivery before introducing subtle changes in pace once he understood how the surface was behaving.

“Once I understood that the wicket was a little slow and required some variation in pace, I started making those adjustments. But the main idea was always to make my stock ball as effective as possible,” he explained.

Suthar also described being entrusted with the second new ball as a proud moment in his fledgling Test career.

India captain Shubman Gill hailed the performance as a complete team effort, saying the side had achieved everything it set out to do. Gill noted that India’s first objective was to post a score beyond 350 and praised the bowlers for executing their plans effectively.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted his team was outclassed and pointed to a lack of experience in Test cricket as a major factor. He acknowledged that Afghanistan does not get enough opportunities in the format but viewed the heavy defeat as a valuable learning experience.

Shahidi also singled out Suthar for praise, saying the spinner’s disciplined, stump-to-stump bowling made life difficult for Afghanistan’s batters throughout the match. The debutant’s impressive display has now firmly announced his arrival on the international Test stage.