IND vs SL:During Sri Lanka's first innings in the Colombo Test, Manav Suthar claimed the wicket of Prabath Jayasuriya by dismissing him LBW. However, a surprising detail about this wicket emerged later.
The delivery that dismissed Jayasuriya was the fastest ball of the ongoing Test series between India and Sri Lanka. You might be wondering what the speed of that delivery was and how Manav Suthar despite being a spinner bowled the fastest ball.
Fastest delivery among 1,958 balls bowled by spinners
The delivery with which Manav Suthar claimed Prabath Jayasuriya's wicket was the fastest bowled by a spinner in the current Test series though not the fastest overall.
Across the play spanning from the Galle Test to the second day of the Colombo Test, spinners from both India and Sri Lanka bowled a combined total of 1,958 deliveries (equivalent to 326.2 overs). Among these 1,958 deliveries, the one that dismissed Prabath Jayasuriya via LBW was the fastest.
What was the speed of Manav Suthar's delivery?
The speed of that delivery by Manav Suthar was 98.85 kmph, making it the fastest delivery bowled by a spinner in the series. Manav Suthar dismissed Prabath Jayasuriya on the final ball of the third over of Sri Lanka's first innings.
Suthar had bowled the third ball of the same over at a speed of 98.17 kmph, which was the third-fastest delivery bowled by a spinner in the series.
However, in the India-Sri Lanka Test series, Manav Suthar has bowled very few deliveries at speeds of 95 kmph or higher. Such deliveries accounted for just 2.5 percent of his bowling up to the end of the second day of the Colombo Test, while 62 percent of his deliveries were in the 85–90 kmph range.
Leading the Wicket-Taking Race in the Test Series
Manav Suthar’s spin magic is captivating everyone in the Test series. He has emerged as the leading wicket-taker, thanks to the excellent variety he brings to his bowling.
He is outfoxing batsmen with pace one moment and ensnaring them in a web of prodigious spin the next. It is precisely this quality that keeps Manav Suthar ahead of the rest in the race for wickets.
