'I Was Practising With The Red Ball During IPL': Manav Suthar On Test Debut Preparation

Speaking on JioStar's 'Cricket Live', Manav Suthar reflected on the emotions after making his long-awaited Test debut:

"Gautam sir and the skipper informed me that I would be making my debut. It was a very proud moment because, ever since I started playing, it had been my dream, my father's dream, and everyone's dream for me to play Test cricket for India. From the very first day I started playing and as I progressed through the ranks, red-ball cricket meant everything to me. It is the pinnacle of the sport. So, whether I was playing U-19 cricket or the Ranji Trophy, the goal was always to play Test cricket for India. Kuldeep bhai's speech while presenting me with the cap was very motivating. Everyone encouraged and motivated me a lot, so it felt really special."

On the conditions in New Chandigarh and his approach:

"When they were bowling, a few deliveries were turning. When I was batting, the odd ball was holding up. So, I felt there might be some assistance for the spinners on that track. As soon as I bowled my first over, the ball was turning, so I tried to bowl my stock ball as much as possible on that wicket. Obviously, I didn't want to get carried away, but my focus was on consistently putting the ball in the right area. Since the beginning, I have focused on spot-bowling, and whatever consistency I have today is because of that. My favourite wicket was obviously the first one, my debut wicket. It will always remain my favourite. There was a good battle going on, so my focus was simply to keep bowling consistently in the same area."

On short turnaround between TATA IPL and the Test match:

"When my name came up in the team, I was practising with the red ball during the IPL as well, thinking about how I would approach things if given the opportunity. After coming here, I had three or four long practice sessions. With bowling, it's not really about how many hours you put in. If you enjoy bowling, you can bowl 20-25 overs without even realising it. So, the key is to keep bowling as much as you can."

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