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NEW DELHI: India took complete control of the lone Test against Afghanistan on Day 3, bowling the visitors out for 152 and enforcing the follow-on. The star of the day was debutant Manav Suthar, who produced a stunning six-wicket haul to dismantle Afghanistan’s batting line-up and put the hosts in a commanding position.Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Cricket Live’, Sunil Gavaskar praised the young left-arm spinner’s skill and accuracy, dismissing the notion that Indian spinners succeed only because of spin-friendly pitches. “People say a spin bowler is successful in India because he gets help from the pitch, the conditions are favourable for him. But I would say, here against Afghanistan, take the pitch out of the equation. Bowling comes down to skill and control. And that is exactly what this young man showed,” he said.Gavaskar highlighted Suthar’s consistency and ability to trouble batters through flight, dip and precision rather than excessive turn, adding, “When you have drift and can land the ball in the right spot consistently, you don’t need a turning track to take wickets.”READ ALSO: ‘Rajasthan ka Jadeja’: The making of Manav Suthar, India’s newest left-arm spin hopeHe added that Suthar’s success was the result of hard work and smart planning, saying, “He wasn’t just lucky, he was clever and accurate.”The 23-year-old Rajasthan all-rounder returned figures of 6 for 33 in 22 overs, becoming only the 10th Indian bowler and seventh Indian spinner to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut. His performance is now the second-best by an Indian on Test debut, behind Narendra Hirwani‘s famous 8 for 61 against the West Indies in 1988.READ ALSO: IND vs AFG | Manav Suthar scripts history on debut, registers best bowling figures in 38 yearsAfter Afghanistan resumed at 113 for 5, Suthar ripped through the lower order, removing key batters including top-scorer Rahmat Shah (60). Afghanistan were eventually bowled out in 58.4 overs, giving India a massive 412-run first-innings lead.Suthar’s dream debut capped years of strong domestic performances, where he has taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches and consistently impressed with both bat and ball, earning his long-awaited national call-up.
