Six years on, Muthusamy returns to India wiser and hungrier

When you look at the South African squad, Senuran Muthusamy is not the first name you usually notice, especially with stars like Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada and even fellow left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj around him. But Muthusamy has been around for a while and his Test debut in Vizag six years ago left him with a moment he still cherishes.

But despite the dream wicket in his first Test, life hasn't been easy for the spinner. Muthusamy has featured in only seven Tests over the six years, with home conditions not favouring the 31-year-old. He has relied on staying patient and consistent in domestic cricket, in a bid to be ready for any opportunity that comes his way in the international cricket.

Muthusamy feels that with more exposure across the world, especially after tours to Bangladesh, West Indies and Pakistan over the last year, he has grown as a cricketer.

"I feel like I'm a far better cricketer, all-around cricketer, now than I was in 2019," he says. "I've learnt a lot and grown quite a bit. I've played in varying conditions, not just South Africa but globally, and I think that's helped."

And the numbers back it up. Muthusamy has gone about his business professionally since his debut and particularly impressed in the recent tour to Pakistan last month. A maiden 10-wicket haul in the first Test (11 for 174) and an unbeaten 89 in the second with the bat helped South Africa gain series parity, also earning him the Player of the Series award, not to forget in conditions as foreign as they come.

"Pakistan was an awesome tour for myself and for the team. To come away with a draw and to win the last Test was awesome," he says. "It's obviously foreign conditions, but one that we thrive on the challenge. I think it's been a great preparation for India, spending some time in the subcontinent, adjusting to those conditions from a batting, bowling perspective and acclimatising to the heat."

Muthusamy's performance with the bat in the second Test against Pakistan was not a one-off. He, in fact, had started his cricketing career as an opening batter before turning to left-arm spin. It was only his second fifty in Tests and he averages 46.50 in the longer format, while at the First-Class level he has 5217 runs in 188 innings.

"It was really fulfilling to get some runs and contribute to the team meaningfully in that second Test with the bat," Muthusamy says. "I do really enjoy my batting. It was obviously really tough conditions and I was just grateful to put in a performance for the team...it obviously does build quite a bit of belief and confidence when you get runs in tough conditions. So yeah, it's been great, it'll be a great reference point for me going forward."

With that experience behind him, Muthusamy could be an important part of South Africa's plans in India. He now has a deeper understanding of subcontinental conditions, can contribute with the bat, and bowls the kind of left-arm spin that could test the Indian batters.

A recurring theme for India at home has been the impact of visiting left-arm spinners. Be it Ajaz Patel's 10-wicket haul in an innings in Mumbai, Tom Hartley's eight-fer in Hyderabad or Mitchell Santner turning it square last year, the variety of bowling has been one to trouble the hosts in the recent past.

The left-arm spinner admits that he watched the India-New Zealand Test series last year and picked up a few observations, with the caveat that conditions will not necessarily be identical. "I think it's just for us to do our best in whatever conditions we're given and to adjust to the conditions. I mean, we are the current world Test champions, so, you know, we've progressed really well as a unit."

He further notes: "I think it's just the pace that they've bowled at (successful left-arm spinners in India), the variability that they've used in their pace and the consistency that they've bowled with, you know, which has brought them rewards."

Muthusamy says he is looking forward to a competitive series against India and hopes for a series win in the subcontinent. "I think we're looking forward to the challenge against India over the course of the next two Test matches. I think it'll be a really good series, competitive series. Yeah, we want to do the basics really well and put our best foot forward and come away with a series win in India," he concludes.

Click here to read article