India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak credited the country's domestic and developmental cricket structure after debutant Manav Suthar delivered a stunning 7 for 62 on his Test debut, helping India thrash Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs in the one-off Test at New Chandigarh. The 22-year-old left-arm spinner was named Player of the Match in what is being described as one of the most impressive Indian Test debuts in recent memory.

Suthar's Debut by the Numbers

Manav Suthar played a decisive role across both innings, first helping bundle Afghanistan out for 152 in the first innings and then continuing his dominance in the follow-on. He also contributed with the bat lower down the order, impressing the team management with his all-round display. The margin of victory — an innings and 300 runs — underlined India's complete dominance in the fixture.

Kotak on the Domestic Pathway

Reflecting on Suthar's rise, Kotak pointed to years of patient grooming through India's cricketing pipeline. 'He has been playing for two or three years — India A, India Emerging, and all. It was a great opportunity for him. He bowled really well and also batted effectively, which is very satisfying,' Kotak said.

He elaborated on the system that produced the debutant: 'The structure of the BCCI is such that players move from age groups to the Ranji Trophy, then to the Emerging team, onto India A, and eventually to the national team. The IPL also provides great exposure for all the players.'

Why India Enforced the Follow-On

Despite the heat at New Chandigarh, India opted to enforce the follow-on after Afghanistan were dismissed for 152 — a decision Kotak framed as a deliberate preparation exercise. 'If they had batted until the second session, then maybe we would have batted again. But since we scored so many runs and they got out for 152, everyone thought that if they got out before lunch, we should try to bowl again,' he explained.

Kotak added that the workload management was intentional: 'There will be times when we have to bowl 100 or 120 overs in one innings or across two innings. It's not just about practising batting. We also need to work on bowling longer spells of spin.'

Washington Sundar's All-Round Maturity

Washington Sundar complemented Suthar's heroics with a half-century in the first innings and 4 for 36 in the second. Kotak praised Sundar's consistency and temperament, noting his long association with the system. 'He has been part of the system since India A. He was part of the first series I did in 2019. He is very mature, I believe,' Kotak said.

'In red-ball cricket, he contributed with both bat and ball. He is a very useful player. He has the right temperament. Whether he gets the opportunity to bowl or bat, his work ethic and behaviour stay consistent,' Kotak added. He also reflected on the patience required of players in a competitive squad: 'If you keep working hard for six, seven, or eight years and continue to mature, I believe you will perform.'

Broader Context: Addressing South Africa Lessons

Although the one-off Test does not count towards World Test Championship standings, Kotak described it as a meaningful exercise in addressing weaknesses exposed during India's difficult tour of South Africa last year. 'We discussed that the IPL just finished, and the challenge was to quickly switch back to red-ball cricket within four or five practice sessions,' he said.

Notably, Kotak pushed back against the narrative that Indian batters struggle against spin. 'In England, our batters did really well against fast bowlers. In the South Africa series, we could have performed better against spin. Many people say our batters struggle against spin; I don't agree with that,' he stated. With the next assignment on the horizon, India's management appears focused on building depth and resilience across formats.