Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar and Gurnoor Brar relish maiden India Test call-ups
New Chandigarh, June 4
Spin bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey, all-rounder Manav Suthar and pacer Gurnoor Brar expressed happiness over receiving their respective maiden India call-ups for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan.
India will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test at New Chandigarh from Saturday onwards. In the fixture that does not feature in the ICC World Test Championship cycle, young domestic stars Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar and Gurnoor Brar have been rewarded for their performances in the form of Team India call-ups.
In a video uploaded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Harsh Dubey described his maiden India call-up as a special moment, saying it is every cricketer's dream to represent the country.
"It's a big moment for a cricketer to represent their country. Actually, it took me a couple of days to sink in that my name has been announced," he said.
Dubey, who wore Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) colours in this year's IPL, taking eight wickets in eight matches at an average of 28.50, is in line for his international debut. The Vidarbha spinner has taken 133 wickets in 27 first-class games at an average of 23.26, with best figures of 6/36, a total of nine five-wicket hauls and two ten-fers. He also has 1,027 runs in 44 innings at an average of 25.65, with nine fifties to his name.
Manav Suthar, on the other hand, described his maiden Test call-up as a dream come true, saying, "It's a dream come true moment. It's my biggest achievement to get a test call-up. Playing a test for India and getting a call-up. It's a great feeling."
Rajasthan all-rounder Suthar has also taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches at an average of 25.76, with best figures of 8/33, including six five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls. He has scored 945 runs in 48 innings at an average of 25.54, with a century and six fifties and a best score of 120. This year for the Gujarat Titans (GT), he took two wickets in four matches at an average of 34.00.
Gurnoor Brar said he was motivated by the prospect of wearing the Indian jersey and training alongside some of the country's top players. He added that he is determined to make the most of the opportunity and give his best.
"I was motivated knowing that I would be wearing the Indian jersey and practising with all the top Indian players. I want to give my best," he said.
Gurnoor, on the other hand, has 52 wickets in 18 first-class matches at an average of 27.30, including three four-fers and a five-for to his name and best figures of 5/14.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Brilliant to see young talent getting rewarded! But I hope the management gives them proper game time instead of just using them as backups. So many promising players warm the bench during such one-off Tests. Trust the domestic performers, BCCI! 🤞
Manav Suthar's stats are seriously impressive—129 wickets in 29 matches with 8/33 best figures! And he's a left-arm spinner, which we always need in Indian conditions. Hope he gets a chance to bowl against Afghanistan. This is what Test cricket development looks like—rewarding consistent domestic performers!
Harsh Dubey's journey from Vidarbha to SRH and now to the Indian Test squad is inspiring. 133 wickets at 23 average shows he's been performing consistently. But I'm a bit skeptical—one-off Tests against Afghanistan won't tell us much. Would love to see these boys tested against stronger opposition like Australia or England.
Gurnoor Brar's five-fer of 5/14 shows he can be a genuine wicket-taker. But we need to be careful—Indian pacers often get injured quickly. I hope the team management manages his workload properly. Raw pace is a rare commodity in India, so we need to nurture it! 🇮🇳
Great to see the selectors looking beyond the IPL for Test talent! All three have impressive first-class records—Harsh with 9 five-fers, Manav with a century and six-fifty, and Gurnoor with 52 wickets.
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