The 23-year-old Manav Suthar became the 319th player to represent India in Test cricket. The youngster got his maiden cap from fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the one-off Test match versus Afghanistan on Saturday at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh stadium in New Chandigarh.

Ultimately, the hosts went on to win the game by an innings and 300 runs on Monday afternoon.

The cricketer’s father, Jagdish Suthar, in his chat with PTI, revealed how the entire family was proud of their son. “My wife, daughter Mansi and I had gone to watch this debut. It was an amazing feeling to see him get his Test cap, but we decided to come back home as we were too nervous to watch him play.”

During the course of his chat with PTI, the player’s father praised the hard work put in by his son and also his childhood coach.

“It is entirely his hard work and the hours he has put into practice. Manav would leave home early for his training and return very late in the evening. We are indebted to his childhood coach Dheeraj Sharma, under whom he learnt the ropes.”

The proud also added, “Manav was always focused on the game, but that didn’t stop him from graduating. When at home, we don’t speak about the game at all.

His biggest inspiration is Ravichandran Ashwin and the way he dominated batters during his playing days.”

Debutant named player of the match for his seven wickets

It was a happy debut for the left-arm spinner, who not too long ago was playing for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. The23-year-old star was adjudged the player of the match for his seven wickets in the game.

Speaking at the post-match interactions, the player said, “It has been my dream to play Test cricket for India right from the start. Getting my debut cap made me feel unreal, and the moment was incredible.” When asked to speak about his bowling, the youngster said: “Focus was to keep the right lines and lengths as well as the pace on the ball.”

Skipper Shubman Gill called the win complete and expressed his happiness that all the boxes were ticked.

He also said that the team had decided to enforce the follow-on if Afghanistan were bowled out early on the third day, and also said that the focus should be to score 350 plus in a Test match, wherever the team bats.