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2021 was a mixed year for Indian cricket. There were a few low moments on and off the cricket field. However, there is no doubt about the fact that India played their best cricket in the Test format, although they went down to New Zealand in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The Indian cricket team played 13 Test matches in 2021, winning seven of them and losing three. The other three games ended in a draw. Team India’s first Test win of the year came at the Gabba, which also resulted in a famous Test series triumph, their second in a row in Australia.
The Indian cricket team confirmed their spot in the WTC final by registering a 3-1 win at home in the four-match series against England. They also won two of the four Tests during their tour of England (the fifth Test was canceled) before defeating New Zealand 2-0 at home.
Indian cricketers who made an impact on Test debut in 2021
A few Indian cricketers made their Test debuts during the team’s journey in 2021. We look at three players who made a major impact in their first Test itself.
#3 Washington Sundar
Plenty of eyebrows were raised when India picked off-spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar over left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the deciding Test against Australia at the Gabba earlier this year. Both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were unavailable due to injuries. Bringing in Kuldeep seemed like the logical thing to do.
The Indian think tank, comprising captain Ajinkya Rahane and coach Ravi Shastri, decided to go with Sundar since he could contribute with the bat as well. The decision turned out to be a masterstroke. Sundar claimed three wickets in the first innings as Australia batted first after winning the toss. The off-spinner got the key scalp of Steve Smith and also dismissed Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon.
Marnus Labuschagne’s 108 and Tim Paine’s 50 pushed Australia to a competitive 369. In response, India slumped to 186 for 6. Sundar (62) then featured in a match-defining stand of 123 with Shardul Thakur. The former batted for 222 minutes and struck seven fours and a six in his defiant knock as India recovered to reach 336.
Sundar then chipped in with the key wicket of David Warner (48) in the second innings, trapping him leg before. He also played a crucial cameo of 22 in 29 balls in India’s famous chase of 328 to complete a memorable Test debut.
#2 Axar Patel
After five Tests, left-arm spinner Axar Patel’s numbers read as follows - 36 wickets at an average of 11.86 with five five-fers and one 10-wicket match haul. It has been a dream start in every sense for the 27-year-old, who has never been able to establish himself in the limited-overs formats despite making his debut back in 2014.
After missing the 1st Test against England at home due to injury, Axar made his India debut in the traditional format of the game during the second Test in Chennai. India batted first in the match and put up 329, with Rohit Sharma leading the way with a sublime 161. Axar picked up only two wickets in England’s first innings but one of them was the big fish, Joe Root (6). The England skipper top-edged a sweep to short fine leg. Patel also had Moeen Ali (6) caught in the slips.
In the second innings, with England set a mammoth 482 for victory, Patel bowled India to a comprehensive 317-run win, claiming 5 for 60 in 21 overs. He first trapped Dom Sibley (3) leg before with an arm ball. Jack Leach (0), who had come in as a nightwatchman, was caught at slip off a fullish delivery that spun and bounced.
Ollie Pope’s (12) attempted slog-sweep off the left-arm spinner ended as a catch to deep midwicket. Patel claimed Root for the second time in his debut Test as the England captain was caught in the slips for 33 off one that bounced awkwardly after pitching.
Axar completed a famous five-wicket haul on Test debut by trapping Olly Stone (0) lbw. India cleaned up England for 164 to square the four-match series 1-1.
#1 Shreyas Iyer
With Virat Kohli rested for the first Test against New Zealand at home and KL Rahul getting injured ahead of the series, Shreyas Iyer got an unexpected opportunity to make his Test debut in Kanpur. The Mumbai batter grabbed the chance with both hands, becoming the first Indian batter to score a hundred and a fifty in his debut Test match.
India batted after winning the toss in the first Test. Shubman Gill (52), Ajinkya Rahane (35) and Cheteshwar Pujara (26) all got starts and fell, which meant India found themselves in a not-so-comfortable position at 145 for 4. Batting at No. 5, Shreyas held the Indian innings together with a solid knock. He scored 105 off 171 balls, striking 13 fours and two sixes, displaying remarkable composure for someone playing in his first Test.
Shreyas and Jadeja (50) featured in a fifth-wicket stand of 121 to lift India. The centurion was dismissed playing a loose waft to cover off Tim Southee as the hosts ended up with a total of 345. After India’s bowlers restricted New Zealand to 296, Shreyas impressed in the second innings as well. He scored a resolute 65 off 125 balls, occupying the crease for nearly 200 minutes and rescuing India from 51 for 5.
The standout aspect of Shreyas’ performance in both innings of his debut Test was the fact that he never looked flustered even when India had their backs to the wall. This quality of his should hold him in good stead as prepares for bigger challenges ahead, like the one in South Africa.
New Zealand escaped with a draw at Kanpur courtesy of some dogged resistance from the tail, but Shreyas deservedly walked away with the Player of the Match award on Test debut.
