As dark clouds gathered over the Galle venue, the ground staff prepared to cover the pitch, but the impending rain did not stop Manav Suthar from bowling on the side pitch under the watchful eye of Sairaj Bahutule. This session occurred one day before the Galle Test, during what was an optional practice day for the Indian squad. While the top-six batters occupied the main nets for most of the session, Suthar trained intensely in the adjacent nets. His dual ability as an all-rounder has not gone unnoticed by captain Shubman Gill, especially as the team navigates the absence of injured players Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar.
Suthar’s rise in the Test setup continues following his debut against Afghanistan last month in a non-WTC Test where Ravindra Jadeja was rested. Despite being another left-arm spinner, his inclusion in the conversation for the Sri Lankan tour highlights his specific skill set. Addressing the team's all-rounder void, Gill noted, "I think that's where someone like Manav comes in. He's got the ability with the bat. Of course, you need a bit of experience, you need some belief and confidence. And that will only come once you're out there, you're playing, you score some runs. And hopefully he does that in the series. He's someone with a great skill with bowling. And he's got the potential to be a really good number eight batsman as well."
Gill clarified that he is not overselling Suthar's batting abilities. The Rajasthan all-rounder has accumulated over 1,000 runs in 51 first-class innings, including a century. His ability to bat time was recently on display during a warm-up match against SLC XI, where he faced 90 deliveries to score 41 runs. In that innings, only Devdutt Padikkal and Ravindra Jadeja batted longer. While India previously called up Saransh Jain as a like-for-like replacement for Sundar, Suthar currently holds the captain's vote for the third spinner and all-rounder position.
Selection remains complex for Gill regarding the second pacer, with Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar competing for the spot. Brar, who impressed with 10 wickets (4/77 and 6/68) for India A at Galle last month, spent time in the nets two days before the Test and held lengthy discussions with Morne Morkel. Gill acknowledged the difficulty of the choice, stating, "They both are very skilled bowlers and they bowled really well in the practice match. We have seen how good Gurnoor is with the old ball when nothing is happening. You need that bit of extra pace, extra bounce. He's obviously very tall as well. But I think Prasidh recently has been bowling the best that I have ever seen him bowl. In red ball and also in white ball. So it will be a very tough decision for us." Krishna brings the experience of seven Tests and a proven ability to hit the deck effectively.
