Manav Suthar Creates History: India Spinner Becomes Only the 2nd Indian to Achieve This Rare Test Feat After Narendra Hirwani

Manav Suthar has etched his name into Indian Test cricket history with a remarkable achievement that had not been seen for decades.

The Rajasthan-born left-arm spinner delivered a match-winning spell in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka, taking six wickets as India bowled the hosts out for 206 while chasing 372.

His spell not only helped India complete a commanding 165-run victory at the Galle International Stadium, but also gave Suthar a place in a very exclusive club.

Suthar becomes only the second Indian to achieve the feat

By claiming six wickets in the second innings, Suthar became only the second Indian cricketer to take a six-wicket haul in each of his first two Test matches.

The only other Indian to achieve the feat is former spinner Narendra Hirwani.

Suthar had already announced himself on the international stage during his Test debut against Afghanistan in Mullanpur in June 2026.

In that match, he picked up six wickets in the first innings.

He followed it up with another six-wicket haul against Sri Lanka, making his start to Test cricket particularly impressive.

Narendra Hirwani’s historic beginning

Suthar’s achievement brings back memories of one of the most remarkable Test debuts in Indian cricket history.

Narendra Hirwani made his Test debut against West Indies in Chennai in January 1988.

He immediately produced one of the greatest debut performances in Test history, taking eight wickets in each innings.

Hirwani finished the match with a staggering 16 wickets, setting a benchmark that remains one of the most memorable performances by an Indian debutant.

He then played his second Test against New Zealand in November 1988.

During that match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Hirwani claimed 6/59 in the second innings, completing the rare feat that Suthar has now matched more than three decades later.

Suthar’s six wickets turn the Test in India’s favour

Suthar’s contribution was particularly important because Sri Lanka had a sizeable target of 372 runs in the fourth innings.

The hosts were eventually dismissed for 206, with Suthar playing a major role in breaking their resistance.

His six-wicket haul ensured that India could finish the Test with a comfortable 165-run margin.

The victory also gave the Shubman Gill-led Indian side a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

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From Test debut to record books

What makes Suthar’s achievement even more impressive is how quickly it has arrived in his international career.

The spinner made his Test debut only in June 2026, yet within his first two matches, he has already registered two six-wicket hauls.

That consistency with the ball has immediately placed him among a select group of Indian spinners.

For a young player trying to establish himself in international cricket, the timing could hardly be better.

A new chapter for India’s spin attack?

India have traditionally produced some of the finest spinners in Test cricket, from Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh to Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Suthar is still at the beginning of his international journey, and it would be premature to compare his career with those legends.

But two six-wicket hauls in his opening two Tests are impossible to ignore.

The challenge now will be to maintain that consistency as opposition teams begin studying his bowling more closely.

For the moment, though, Suthar can celebrate a remarkable start to his Test career.

Two Tests. Two six-wicket hauls. One historic record.

And in doing so, Manav Suthar has joined Narendra Hirwani as only the second Indian bowler to take six wickets in each of his first two Test matches.