Fans on social media are also confident about Suthar ultimately replacing Jadeja and become a mainstay in the Test side for the years to come
Published: August 17, 2026, 5:28 PM IST
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India’s Manav Suthar bowls a delivery during the third day of the first Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and India, in Galle, Sri Lanka on Monday, August 17, 2026(Photo: IANS)
Left-arm off-spinner Manav Suthar, who made his debut for senior Indian team only last month in the one-off Test against Afghanistan, struck a wicket on his very first ball of the series opening Test against Sri Lanka, removing the well experienced Dinesh Chandimal for just four runs.
Suthar earned a call-up for the Sri Lanka series on the back of his impressive player of the match winning performance against Afghanistan as he took a total of 7 wickets during India’s spectacular 300-run victory.
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WATCH: Ravindra Jadeja creates HISTORY, becomes only third cricketer ever to achieve THIS feat
The 24-year-old Rajasthan-born bowling all-rounder followed up with another wicket in the form of Lankan opener Lahiru Udara for 27 off 44It marked a memorable outing for Manav Suthar, who is playing only his second Test match.
He is being groomed very well by the Indian team management, who have started to see him as an ideal replacement for Ravindra JadejaThe veteran is nearing towards the end of his career and rubbing shoulders with a young Suthar will help India remain balanced.
Fans on social media are also confident about Suthar ultimately replacing Jadeja and become a mainstay in the Test side for the years to comeThough replacing him won’t be an easy task, but the foundation is being laid out perfectly.
Ravindra Jadeja joins elite list
Ravindra Jadeja added another feather on his cap by becoming only the fifth Indian to register 350 wickets in the longest format of the game in the on-going first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium where the Lankans are currently trying their best to reach as close as they can to the Indian team’s mammoth first innings total of 462.
Not only that, Ravindra Jadeja also achieved a batting record, joining an absolutely elite list of all-rounders to score 4000 runs and scalp 350 wickets in TestsIn fact, Jadeja became only the fourth player to do so and the second Indian after the legendary 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev, who had 434 wickets and 5,248 runs to his name.
After scoring 13 runs with the bat in the first innings, Ravindra Jadeja scalped three important Sri Lankan wickets of Dhananjaya de silva, Keshara Nuwantha and centurion Sonal DinushaJadeja had 348 wickets to his name before the start of the match and now he has 351 scalps to his name.
It helped him become the fifth bowler, after Anil Kumble (619), Kapil Dev (434) and Harbhajan Singh (417), to touch the 350-wicket mark with Keshara Nuwantha becoming Jadeja’s 350th scalp in what is the latter’s 90th Test match appearance for India.
Sri Lanka all out for 284
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have been bowled out for 284 runs in their response to India’s first innings total of 462The Lankans avoided the danger of follow on after undergoing a top and middle order collapse.
Openers Nishan Madushka and Lahiru Udara were removed by Mohammed Siraj and Manav Suthar for 0 and 27 while Dinesh Chandimal (number 3) and Kamindu Mendis (number 4) lost their wickets for 4 and 14 respectively.
However, the only resistance was produced by Sonal Dinusha and wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella, who took over from 90/5 with a 146-run partnershipWhile Dickwella departed for 80 off 115, Dinusha was the sole batter to reach triple figures for Sri Lanka with a commendable 100 off 168.
Dinusha later became Ravindra Jadeja’s 351st Test wicketThe lower-order contributed for only 22 runs.