'It was a very unreal feeling' - Manav Suthar reacts to Player of the Match performance after IND vs AFG

Manav Suthar felt a sense of accomplishment following his heroic international debut during India's convincing victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test match in New Chandigarh. The Men in Blue secured an innings and 300-run win over their fellow Asian counterparts in less than three days.

Suthar was the star of the show and was rightfully declared Player of the Match. The 23-year-old took six wickets in the first innings, in an overall spell that saw him bowl 10 maidens out of a total of 33 overs. He added one more wicket in the second innings and also scored 28 runs during India's only time batting.

Suthar stated that he fulfilled a lifelong dream of representing India on the Test stage, which still feels unreal. Despite only playing his first game in the longest format of the game, the spinner understands the qualities required to succeed in five-day cricket and will strive hard to accomplish the same.

"No sir, it's not really like that. 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. 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," Manav Suthar said after the game, via NDTV.

Suthar also explained how going out to bat first helped him understand the pitch for when he would eventually come out to bowl. The Gujarat Titans player remained patient in his initial overs before bringing out his variations.

"Even when I went out to bat, I felt quite comfortable. As I settled in and faced a few deliveries, I realized there was a bit of assistance for the spinners on the wicket. Then, when I came on to bowl and delivered my first over, I got the same feeling. Initially my focus was on understanding how the wicket was playing. That's why I wanted to rely on my stock delivery as much as possible. Once I understood that the wicket was a little slow and required some variation in pace, I started making those adjustments," Manav Suthar added.