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The India National Cricket Team defeated the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team by 165 runs in the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, Galle, on Wednesday to take a 0-1 lead in the two-match Test series. After the match, opener KL Rahul was present at the post-match press conference, providing answers on the team’s performance and also speaking about Manav Suthar.
Manav Suthar was India’s best spinner among Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm spinner picked 10 wickets in the Test match, as he picked 6 wickets in the second innings and single-handedly dismantled the Sri Lanka batting line-up while they were chasing a mammoth total of 372 runs. He was excellent with the ball in the match.
"That's a special skill to have": KL Rahul praises Manav Suthar for his 10-fer in 1st Test
While speaking to the media, KL Rahul explained the reason why Manav Suthar has been brilliant in subcontinent conditions. As per Rahul, the left-arm spinner’s simple variations have been working well for him as Suthar read the pitch well and gave more revs on the ball, and the ball drifted after pitching, which became effective, as the veteran opener believes that the young spinner will develop further.
Rahul said in the post-match press conference (as quoted by RevSportz), "For Manav, the subtle variations work wonders for him. He used the drift here in Galle. He's very consistent. He can use his variations the entire day. Hopefully he'll keep getting better and better. He challenges all modes of dismissal. That's a special skill to have."
Manav Suthar achieves new record
Manav Suthar has played two Test matches for the Men in Blue. The 24-year-old spinner picked 7 wickets in the one-off Test against Afghanistan as he picked a 6-fer in the first innings, and on Wednesday he also did the same, picking a 6-fer in the second innings; after that.
After picking 10 wickets, he now has the best bowling figure in Sri Lanka in a Test match by an Indian (10/131), surpassing Harbhajan Singh (10/153) and Ravichandran Ashwin (10/160).
KL Rahul explains India's secret to winning a Test
Apart from speaking about Manav Suthar, he also revealed India’s homework before coming to this Test series. Rahul believes that to win a Test match, it is important to come prepared, which helps the side to win games. He also stated that the win was a good one for the side, which gave their best, and everyone is happy.
Rahul added, "Doing your homework in this format is very important. If you come prepared, you give yourself the best chance. He added, A good win. It was tough out there. We stuck together, something which will make everyone happy in the dressing room."
"A quality knock": KL Rahul delighted about Devdutt Padikkal's 167-run knock
Apart from speaking on Suthar and the team’s performance, he shared insights on batting with Devdutt Padikkal, who won the Player of the Match award for his exceptional innings of 167 runs. Rahul said that it was a quality knock played by him; he also spoke about how he has been guiding young players.
Rahul said in the post-match press conference, "I have played a lot with Devdutt Padikkal. It was a quality knock. Hope it gives him more confidence going forward. First 20-25 overs, the spinners got a lot more purchase. As the ball got older, as a batter you weren't worried about the ball skidding in. The bowlers also felt a bit of pressure to get the batters out."
"I am not doing anything special if I am guiding or helping other players. People are learning from each other. I might learn from someone else. There's always chatter. That's what makes international cricket fun. The chat is constant. I am just passing that on."
