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Pujara urges Manav Suthar to prioritise Tests over IPL
Cheteshwar Pujara has advised young India spinner Manav Suthar not to chase an Indian Premier League contract at the cost of his red-ball development. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner took a match-winning 10-wicket…
Cheteshwar Pujara has advised young India spinner Manav Suthar not to chase an Indian Premier League contract at the cost of his red-ball development. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner took a match-winning 10-wicket haul in Galle to help India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Suthar, who has played only two Tests, followed up his five-wicket haul on debut against Afghanistan with six wickets in Sri Lanka's second innings. Pujara said Suthar should preserve his natural ability to flight the ball and bowl slowly, which makes him effective in Tests. He added that if Suthar gets an IPL opportunity, he should not change his strengths.
Suthar is contracted with Gujarat Titans in the IPL but has played only five matches and taken two wickets across the 2024 and 2026 seasons. The second Test against Sri Lanka begins in Colombo on August 23.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Pujara's warning reflects a recurring tension in Indian cricket: the IPL's financial pull often tempts young spinners to flatten their trajectory and bowl quicker, undermining their red-ball effectiveness. India's bench strength in spin is deep, with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar all competing for spots. Suthar's 10-wicket haul in Galle puts him ahead of that queue for now, but a poor IPL season could see him slip. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has no formal policy to restrict players from the IPL, so the onus remains on Suthar and his state coaches to manage his workload. Watch whether he gets a regular IPL game in 2027 or is rotated out for red-ball camps.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
