Best figures by India Test debutants, full list: Spinner goes past Ashwin to enter all-time top three

Manav Suthar stars on India debut with six-wicket haul

The left-arm spinning all-rounder received his maiden India call-up for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh and registered himself in the history books. Suthar took three wickets on day two and added three more to his tally on the third day to finish with 6-33, overtaking Ravichandran Ashwin’s debut figures in the process.

The debutant struck with just his fourth delivery in Test cricket, removing opener Abdul Malik, who tried to slog only to get a top edge. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was caught in the slips while Afsar Zazai was removed caught and bowled. Sharafuddin Ashraf was caught behind, whereas Afghanistan’s only half-centurion in the innings, Rahmat Shah was bowled around the legs trying to sweep as Suthar completed a maiden five-for.

Just three deliveries later, the left-arm spinner trapped Mohammad Saleem leg before to get his sixth and become only the fifth Indian bowler to take six or more wickets on debut. Narendra Hirwani holds the top two spots with figures of 8-61 and 8-75 in the two innings of his debut Test against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988. Ravichandran Ashwin, previously third on the list with 6-47 on debut in 2011, has now moved down to fourth, making Suthar's figures the best by an Indian Test debutant in 38 years.

India, meanwhile, enforced a follow-on after bowling out Afghanistan for 152 in reply to their first-innings total of 564-8.

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Best figures by India Test debutants, full list: Manav Suthar enters top three