How Manav Suthar's CoE preparation set up his four-wicket show vs Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka vs India: Manav Suthar revealed that a 10-day stint at the CoE with Kookaburra balls, along with learning from Ravindra Jadeja, played a key role in his preparation for Sri Lanka.How Manav Suthar's CoE preparation set up his four-wicket show vs Sri Lanka (AFP Photo)Brief scores: India (462) lead Sri Lanka (284 in 79.4 overs) by 178 runs at stumps on Day 3 of the opening Test in Galle.Young Indian spinner Manav Suthar gave another glimpse of his talent with a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle on Monday. His 4 for 76 kept the hosts in check, but the groundwork for the impressive spell was laid weeks before he arrived in Sri Lanka.Suthar spent 10 days at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, training with Kookaburra balls in an open field with the wind blowing across the ground. The idea was to recreate conditions as close as possible to what he would encounter in Galle.The 24-year-old made the most of those sessions, with the coaches also working on his approach to the crease. For Suthar, it was about getting comfortable with the ball, the conditions and the demands of bowling long spells. SL vs IND, 1st Test Day 3: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD"I was practising with the Kookaburra ball after the Afghanistan Test. So, my plan was pretty simple to bowl in good areas, right length, right speed as the wicket here offers some bounce too which makes it mandatory to bowl at the right line," he said after the day's play. That preparation came into play as Sri Lanka tried to fight their way back into the Test.India had reduced the hosts to 99 for five by lunch, but Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella frustrated the Indian attack throughout the post-lunch session. Suthar did not allow the long partnership to pull him away from his plans."Our main focus was to get wickets in the first session. We didn't get wickets in the second session but we got results in the third session. So, our focus was to keep bowling consistently in good areas," he said.The plan against the two batters was straightforward: attack the stumps, find the right pace and wait for an opportunity."They were rotating the strike well. So, we needed to plan accordingly. So, our focus was on how we can create opportunities by bowling stump to stump line and find the right pace to bowl for this wicket," Suthar added.There was another important part of his education in Galle. At the other end was Ravindra Jadeja, a veteran left-arm spinner whose experience offered Suthar a chance to learn first-hand.Jadeja completed 350 Test wickets during the match and finished with three wickets. Suthar, meanwhile, picked up four, but was more interested in what he could take away from his senior teammate."There are a lot of things that I can learn from him. He uses the (bowling) crease so well. His consistency while bowling at stumps is world class," Suthar said."So I would like to learn from him that no matter what the batsman is doing. How long can I bowl on the stump? Can you get a false shot? So there's a lot to learn from him."Suthar had also been watching Sri Lanka's spinners during the opening two days. Their ability to change pace while maintaining discipline reinforced what he had already worked on before the series."They bowled well yesterday. They varied their pace and I feel that on this wicket, the more consistent you are, the more purchase you get. So that's what we were trying to do," he said.The start could hardly have been better. Suthar dismissed Dinesh Chandimal with his first ball of the Test, giving himself an immediate confidence boost."It's a very good feeling to get a wicket on the first ball. It gives you lots of confidence throughout the game," he said, while also pointing to his County stint with Warwickshire as another valuable part of his preparation.Suthar's Galle performance was built on simple things done well: preparation at the CoE, exposure to the Kookaburra ball, experience in County cricket and the chance to learn alongside Jadeja.And when the opportunity arrived, he was ready.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Aug 17, 2026 21:03 IST