Top ten debut knocks in Test matches

It’s an indescribable feeling when you are given a Test cap for the first time in your life – all the years spent in preparation for this moment have finally borne fruit. You feel incredible and, at the same time, are determined to do extremely well in order to make it memorable.

How do you make it a happy memory? By scoring a century in your first international innings or by taking a ten-wicket haul in your first full Test match – more so if these performances decide the outcome of the game. After all, everyone wants a powerful start to their careers, right?

Ten of the world’s talented cricketers have done just that. Here is a list of all their exploits on Test debut:

10. Shikhar Dhawan (India – 187 v/s Australia, Mohali, March 2013)

The powerfully-built, mustache-twirling left-hander from Delhi shattered several records on the way to a magnificent century against Australia in March this year.

Playing at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, Dhawan smashed the Australian bowlers all over the park as he went past Gundappa Viswanath’s 137 to post the highest individual score by an Indian debutant. He also scored his century in just 85 deliveries, breaking Dwayne Smith’s 93-ball effort against South Africa in 2004.

Dhawan’s 174-ball innings laid the platform for a six-wicket win by the Indian team, who went on to drub the hapless Aussies 4-0 and clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in style.

9. Faf du Plessis (South Africa – 78 & 110* vs Australia, Adelaide, November 2012)

South African T20 captain Francois du Plessis also made a memorable start to his Test career during his team’s visit to Australia in November 2012. Batting at number six owing to the unavailability of JP Duminy due to injury, the right-hander scored 78 runs in the first innings, sharing a 93-run eighth-wicket partnership with the hobbling Jacques Kallis.

In the second innings, du Plessis struck his maiden Test century – an unbeaten 110 made in 466 minutes, again featuring in a 99-run stand with Kallis for the sixth wicket; their efforts ensured that South Africa escaped with a draw on the last day. His debut total of 188 runs fetched him the Man-of-the-Match award as the series was still square going into the final Test.

8. Andrew Strauss (England – 112 & 83 vs New Zealand, Lord’s, May 2004)

The former England opener also has the distinction of scoring a century on debut at Lord’s – joining an elite list that also includes the enigmatic ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly.

In his debut game, Strauss opened the innings against New Zealand, after an injury to Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher declining to take the vacant opening slot. His knock of 112 was instrumental in setting up England’s eventual win, and he followed it up with 83 in the second innings before being run out in a mix-up with Nasser Hussain; for his fine performance, he was awarded Man of the Match.

With his maiden century in the first innings, the left-hander became the third opener to achieve this feat, the second English player to score a debut hundred at Lord’s, and the fourth England player to score a century and a half-century on debut. Terrific stuff!

7. Kepler Wessels (Australia – 162 & 46 vs England, Brisbane, Nov 1982)

The South Africa-born left-handed opening batsman made a sensational start to his international career when he was chosen to make his debut against England at the Gabba in November 1982.

Wessels hammered 162 in his debut innings, thus becoming the thirteenth Australian to score a hundred in his maiden Test. His knock came against the likes of Bob Willis and Ian Botham, and he made a chanceless 46 in the second innings, helping his side achieve victory by seven wickets. The match was also memorable for Geoff Lawson’s ten-wicket haul and Jeff Thomson’s five-for in England’s second innings.

Wessels would go on to captain the country of his birth in the 1992 World Cup, following the lifting of the ban by the ICC after the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa. He pulled off an upset when his team beat the Australians for the first time at Sydney.

6. Matthew Sinclair (New Zealand – 214 vs West Indies, Wellington, December 1999)

The former New Zealand number three also had a superb start to his international career when he made his first appearance for the Black Caps against the Windies on Boxing Day in 1999.

Sinclair made his debut better than memorable – he ended up scoring his first double century in Tests, making 214 with the help of 22 boundaries. His efforts ensured that New Zealand crushed their opponents by an innings and 105 runs. The then-24-year old Kiwi player was awarded the Man of the Match for his splendid knock.

After another double hundred against Pakistan, Sinclair fell out of form and favour – ending up playing only 33 Tests in 11 years. Very recently, he announced his retirement and also revealed his struggles to make a living for his family outside of cricket.

5. K S Ranjitsinhji (England – 62 & 154* vs Australia, Manchester, July 1896)

The pioneer of the leg-glance, Ranjitsinhji made his Test debut for England against Australia at Manchester in 1896, after having been left out of the side due to interference from Lord Harris, possibly under the influence of the British Government that was ruling India at the time.

Incensed, Ranjitsinhji scored a rapid 47 against the touring Aussies for Sussex in front of the MCC committee, and forced his way into the squad for the second Test. He made a cautious 62 in the first innings, but England were forced to follow-on. Employing the leg glance as well as the cut shot, the right-hander went on to hammer an unbeaten 154 against the likes of Ernie Jones. Though Australia eventually won, he was praised by one and all for his knocks.

4. Jacques Rudolph (South Africa – 222* vs Bangladesh, Chittagong, April 2003)

The opposition may have been minnows for an already established international team of South Africa’s calibre, but it did not take away the joyous feeling of scoring a maiden double century in Jacques Rudolph’s first appearance for his side against Bangladesh.

Previously having been omitted from the side for the 2002 New Year’s Test against Australia, due to the prevalent practice of a quota for non-white players, Rudolph seized his chance in 2003 and marked his debut with a phenomenal innings of 222 not out. It still remains the highest individual score by a Test debutant and a left-handed opener.

Along with Boeta Dippenaar, Rudolph established a new South African record partnership for the third wicket – the pair put on an unbeaten 429 runs in the same game, which South Africa eventually won by an innings and 60 runs.

3. Yasir Hameed (Pakistan – 170 & 105 vs Bangladesh, Karachi, August 2003)

Four months after Rudolph’s marathon knock at Chittagong, Bangladesh were once again at the receiving end of a batsman’s fury – this time against the impressive Yasir Hameed of Pakistan.

Coming in at No. 3, the youngster smashed 25 boundaries on his way to a scintillating 170 in his first international game for Pakistan. It enabled his side to post 346 in the first innings. Bangladesh fought back through a magnificent century from Habibul Bashar, but Hameed sealed the deal with another hundred in the chase, handing his side a seven-wicket win.

In the process, Yasir became only the second player to hit two consecutive Test hundreds against Bangladesh. Since then, he has been repeatedly ignored by the selectors and, at 35, a comeback is virtually impossible given the scheme of things in the Pakistani cricket establishment.

2. R.E. ‘Tip’ Foster (England – 287 & 19 vs Australia, Sydney, December 1903)

The jovial Englishman made the highest score by a debutant when he hit 287 against Australia on the 1903-04 Ashes tour. His innings also remained the highest ever individual Test score until it was broken by Andy Sandham’s 325.

Foster’s innings remained the highest by a batsman at the SCG for nearly a century, until Australian skipper Michael Clarke hammered 329 not out against India in the 2011-12 series. Sadly for English cricket lovers, he succumbed to his chronic diabetes in 1914, aged only 36.

1. Lawrence Rowe (West Indies – 214 & 100* vs New Zealand, Kingston, February 1972)

A feat that would be repeated against his side by Kiwi batsman Matthew Sinclair in 1999, Windies batsman Lawrence Rowe played a blistering innings of 214 against New Zealand at Kingston, sending all the bowlers on a leather hunt while hitting 19 boundaries and a six in his marathon knock.

Kiwi opener Glenn Turner responded with 223, and Rowe promptly struck an unbeaten century in West Indies’ second innings,, getting his side to a creditable draw. He thus became the first player to score both a double century and a hundred in his debut Test, and would go on to score a magnificent triple century in 1974.