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Young spin bowling all-rounder Manav Suthar makes his Test debut. Suthar from Rajasthan, 24, considered a potential successor to experienced spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, receives his debut cap from Kuldeep Yadav. Manav is now officially India's first specialist spin Test debutant since Axar Patel in 2021.
Ahead of the one-off Test match between India and Afghanistan, it was learnt that between Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey, one would be in the playing XI in New Chandigarh, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.
Manav Suthar makes his Test debut for India
Make way for #ManavSuthar! 🙌
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 6, 2026
Team India's latest Test debutant earns cap #319! Good luck, Manav! ⭐#INDvAFG | Only Test ➡️ DAY 1 | LIVE NOW 👉https://t.co/hURsU016bX pic.twitter.com/C1khbFp4uo
The conditions at the ground are hot and humid, even at the toss. As the match progresses, the pitch will get drier, and it will be difficult for the batters in the second innings. Keep the conditions and nature of the pitch in mind, Team India has named three spinners, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manav Suthar in the playing eleven.
Winning the toss, India captain Shubman Gill opts to bat first.
“We are gonna bat first. Very hot and humid. It's going to get slower and lower. Very special, I grew up playing here. It's a great privilege to captain here. The preparation has been good. Got a good couple of days of sleep. Nine Test matches after this, we've got quite a few home Test matches. It's about getting the combination right. We've got Manav Suthar making his debut.
Why does BCCI drop Ravindra Jadeja from the Test team?
Ravindra Jadeja was one of the constant players for India in the format, especially after the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin. Jadeja played regularly. While the board was announcing the squad for the one-off Test, chief selector Ajit Agarkar informed that Jadeja's exclusion from the team was only because of workload management.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, ahead of the match, told the media that the match against Afghanistan is the stage where they could do some experiments. With the inclusion of Manav Suthar in the playing eleven, the team management will be hopeful to get a solid fourth spinner for the near future.
“This probably is the only Test match where we can think of, or look at, someone who could be a fourth spinner. Because after this, we go to Sri Lanka, and we might have to carry four spinners as well. So, this is an ideal opportunity to try someone who could be a long-term fourth spinner as well,” Gambhir said at the pre-match press conference.
India vs Afghanistan Playing XIs:
India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Afsar Zazai(w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi
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