Manav Suthar (BCCI photo)

New Delhi: Manav Suthar could hardly have asked for a better start to his Test career. The left-arm spinner made his debut against Afghanistan by taking three wickets on the second day, earning praise from the great Indian captain and batting brilliantly Sunil Gavaskar.Suthar registered his name in the elite list of Indian bowlers who have taken a wicket in their very first over by dismissing Abdul Malik in his very first over in Test cricket. He finished the day with figures of 3/34, removing Abdul Malik. Rahmanullah Gurbaz And Afghanistan closed on 113/5 as Afshar Zazai, still 451 runs behind India.Impressed by the youngster’s all-round performance, Gavaskar highlighted not only Suthar’s bowling but also the patience he showed with the bat.“Manav Suthar has certainly made a great start to his Test career. What stood out was not just his bowling, but the confidence he showed with the bat, especially the way he used his feet and looked comfortable at the crease,” Gavaskar said while speaking on Geostar’s ‘Cricket Live’.“With the ball, he was extremely accurate and constantly put the batsmen under pressure. There was some support available from the surface, which he made good use of, but the real test for any spinner comes on flat pitches where more variation and adaptability are required.”While urging caution in judging a spinner solely on a helpful surface, Gavaskar felt Sutthar had shown enough promise to suggest he could succeed at the highest level.“Having said that, it was a very encouraging debut and he has shown the qualities to become a strong contender at Test level going forward,” he said.Suthar’s selection was supported by a strong domestic record. The Rajasthan all-rounder has taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches at an average of 25.76, including a best performance of 8/33. His red-ball resume also includes taking five wickets six times and 10 wickets three times.The 23-year-old has also contributed with the bat, scoring 945 runs in 48 first-class innings at an average of 25.54, including one century and six fifties, with a highest score of 120.Earlier this year, Suthar represented Gujarat Titans in the IPL and took two wickets in four matches.