3 Teams who played their inaugural Test match against India

On 11 December 2017, BCCI announced that they will host the war-ravaged Afghanistan's maiden Test match in 2019-2020 season. The venue and dates would be finalized later.

After the Special General Meeting(SGM), BCCI acting president Amitabh Choudhary said, "Afghans were scheduled to play their first Test in 2019 versus Australia, but considering the historic relationship between India and Afghanistan, we decided to host their first Test."

Atif Mashal, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman, tweeted "@ACBofficials and @BCCI have agreed that Afghanistan will play its first Test against India. The exact date and venue of the match will be shared in a joint press conference in due course. I personally thank BCCI board for the decision."

Earlier in June this year, Afganistan and Ireland were made the sport's 11th and 12th Test playing nation respectively.

Since 1952, only Sri Lanka and Ireland have not played their debut Test match against India. Sri Lanka played their first test match against England. Ireland is scheduled to play their maiden test match against Pakistan in May 2018.

Let us have a look at the other teams who played their first test against India and how it went.

#1 Pakistan vs India at Delhi, 16-19 October 1952 (India won)

Vinoo Mankad - the difference between the victory and the defeat

Pakistan donned the white clothes for the first time against India at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi on 16th October 1952. All the players except A.H Kardar and Amir Elahi debuted in Test cricket (Test cricket was played as a four-day match at that time).

Clever left-arm slow bowling of Vinoo Mankad proved too much for the debutants on a spin-friendly pitch. In a span of sixteen overs, he took six wickets and a total of eight wickets in the first innings. He returned with the match figures of thirteen wickets for 131 runs.

Ghulam Ahmed had a good Test Match with both bat and ball but it was as a batsman in a record last-wicket partnership of 109 runs with Hemu Adhikari that won him the crowd applause.

Pakistan could only make 150 and 152 runs in reply to India’s 372 runs and lost by an inning and 70 runs. In Pakistan batting line-up, A.H Kardar and Imtiaz Ahmed looked convincing against the Indian bowling attack.

Pakistan came back strongly in the second Test match by winning it by an innings and 43 runs. India won the series 2-1 in the five match series.

#2 India vs. Zimbabwe at Harare, 18-22 October 1992 (Match drawn)

David Houghton scored a century in his country's debut Test

Zimbabwe was elected to full membership of ICC in 1992. India toured the African country in October that year for a one-off Test match and a lone One Day International(ODI).

The match resulted in a draw. Zimbabwe became the first country since Australia in 1877 not to lose its inaugural test. On the insipid pitch at Harare Sports Complex, the bowlers of both the teams were rendered lifeless.

Zimbabwe’s skipper DL Houghton became the first player to score a century on his country’s debut since Charles Bannerman of Australia. Sanjay Manjrekar scored a hundred for India in reply. The debutant team score of 456 in the first innings was the highest by a country in its first Test match.

Still adjusting the altitude and bereft of match practice, India could only take five wickets during the first two days. The visitors were reduced to 93 for four at the close of third-day play, still needing 164 to avoid follow-on. Manjrekar played a gem of the innings to take the game away from the hosts. He batted close to 500 minutes and played 397 deliveries en route his century.

India won the lone ODI played after the test match and flew to South Africa for a full-fledged series.

#3 India vs. Bangladesh at Dhaka, 10-13 November 2000 (India won)

Sunil Joshi of India was adjusted the Man of the Match for his all-round display

India toured Bangladesh to play a one-off inaugural Test match at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka. Left-arm Indian speedster Zaheer Khan along with Shiv Sundar Das and Saba Karim made their debut for India in this test match.

On expected lines, Bangladesh lost the test match by nine wickets. But the dramatic collapse by the hosts on a day four wicket had a devastating effect on both the cricket fans of the country and the followers of the game. Except for the inevitable wear and tear, there was nothing extraordinary in the pitch or the Indian bowling.

Bangladesh batted beautifully and scored 400 runs in the first innings. Animul Islam became the third batsman after Charles Bannerman and DL Houghton to register a century on his country’s Test debut. India replied with 429 thanks to a 121-run partnership between Saurav Ganguly and Sunil Joshi.

Sunil Joshi was on course of a rare test-double of a century and five for but holed out to mid-off at 92. He was later adjusted as the man of the match.