“It’s a dream come true,” said youngster Manav Suthar, who recently earned his maiden India call up for the one-off Test against Afghanistan after learning the ropes through street cricket and ignoring constant discouragement from people not to pick the game as career option.Crediting his India call-up to consistent performances in domestic cricket and experience playing for India A, the 23-year-old left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder from Rajasthan said he never deviated from the path he had chosen. “Cricket has always been a big part of my family. My father loves the game and everyone at home watches matches regularly. As a young boy, I used to sit with them and watch. That is where my love for cricket first started. I began playing in the streets with my friends. Those street games taught me the basics, how to hold the bat and how to bowl,” said Suthar on ‘JioStar’.”When I was 10 or 11, I joined a proper cricket academy. I started training under Dheeraj sir and Vinod sir. They taught me the right techniques and helped me improve my game. My first big breakthrough came when I played for Rajasthan in the Under-14 category. That experience gave me a lot of motivation. I realised that I could make a career out of this sport. From there, my journey as a cricketer truly began,” said Suthar.On the obstacles he overcame to make it to the top level, the youngster said, “In a country like India, with such a huge population, succeeding in cricket is never easy. There are so many talented players competing for the same few spots. I faced a lot of challenges along the way. Many people told me to focus on my studies. They said cricket had no scope and that I was wasting my time.””But I didn’t listen. I didn’t give up. I kept working hard, session after session, season after season. I had a great domestic season. I performed well for India A too. I knew the call could come anytime. It was a waiting game, but I stayed patient,” he added. Suthar has been a prolific wicket-taker since the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, where he secured 39 scalps in six matches.He has been a regular in India Emerging and India A squads. In just three Ranji matches he played in 2025-26, he picked up 18 wickets, including a match-winning 8 for 42 against Chhattisgarh. Overall, Suthar has taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class games, along with a century and six half-centuries. He made his IPL debut in 2024 with Gujarat Titans but played just one game in that season. He didn’t get a chance to play in 2025, but featured in four games in 2026.”All the hard work in domestic cricket and for India A has paid off. Making my international debut, it is a dream come true. All the sacrifices have finally paid off. I feel proud, grateful and ready to give my best for the country,” he said, adding that everyone in his family was emotional when he got the news of his Test selection.”Dad, mom, everyone called me. They couldn’t believe it. I can’t describe it in words. It’s the biggest feeling. You work hard for years, and then one day, you finally get selected for India. It was the best feeling of my life,” said Suthar, adding that he was heavily inspired by former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and off-spinner R Ashwin.