5 great Indian cricketers who had a horrible Test debut

Test cricket is considered to be the ultimate test of a player’s skill, talent, and temperament. Even as ODIs and now T20Is have threatened the existence of the red-ball format, it has survived the test of time. Ask any legend of the game and he will vouch for the fact that the traditional form of cricket is the most challenging because it brings out the very best in a player.

Speaking of Indian cricket, a number of greats have excelled in the format over the years - from Polly Umrigar to Sunil Gavaskar and Bishan Singh Bedi to Anil Kumble. The list is expected to continue to grow, though not at a swift pace since the newer generation is keener on Indian Premier League (IPL) and T20 cricket in general.

While many big names from India have gone on to have stellar careers, not all of them had a bright start to their red-ball journey. In this feature, we look at five great Indian cricketers who had a forgettable Test debut.

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#1 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut at 16. Pic: Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar holds most of the batting records in the game today. However, he had a baptism by fire on his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989. Aged just 16, Tendulkar had the daunting task of standing up to a bowling attack comprising Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis (also on debut), and Imran Khan.

Tendulkar looked all at sea in his maiden Test innings and was bowled for 15 by fellow debutant Younis. He overcame a jittery start to score a defiant 59 off 172 balls in the next Test in Faisalabad. Tendulkar also scored a half-century in Sialkot and never looked back.

The Master Blaster ended his Test career with 15921 runs in exactly 200 matches at an average of 53.78, with 51 hundreds and 68 fifties. He is widely regarded by many as the greatest batter to have graced the game since Sir Don Bradman.

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#2 Virat Kohli

Former India captain Virat Kohli. Pic: Getty Images

Like Tendulkar, modern-day giant Virat Kohli also had an unconvincing start to his Test career. He made his red-ball debut for India against West Indies in Kingston in June 2011. The future India captain was dismissed for just four in his maiden Test innings, nicking Fidel Edwards to the keeper. In the second innings, he was caught down leg for 15, again off Edwards’ bowling.

Kohli notched up his first hundred against Australia in Adelaide in January 2012. Although India lost the match by 298 runs, Kohli, the Test batter, arrived and went on to dominate bowling attacks across the globe over the next few years.

In 105 Tests, Kohli has smashed 8131 runs at an average of 48.68, with 27 hundreds and 28 fifties. The 34-year-old has notched up as many as seven double hundreds in the red-ball format for India.

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#3 Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev is regarded as India’s greatest all-rounder.

Unarguably India’s greatest all-rounder, Kapil Dev also had a forgettable Test debut. His first red-ball game for India was against Pakistan in Faisalabad in October 1978.

Pakistan batted first after winning the toss and posted 503/8 declared. Kapil could not make any impact and proved expensive as well. He conceded 71 runs in 16 overs without claiming a wicket. He did somewhat better in the second innings, registering figures of 1/25 from 12 overs.

Kapil’s maiden five-wicket haul in Tests came against England in Birmingham in July 1979. He kept going from strength to strength after that, coming up with some commendable bowling performances on the most unresponsive of pitches.

The legendary cricketer ended his Test career with 434 wickets in 131 matches at an average of 29.64 with 23 five-fers and two 10-wicket match hauls. At the time of retirement, he held the world record for most Test wickets.

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#4 Dilip Vengsarkar

Dilip Vengsarkar was among India’s finest at his peak

Dilip Vengsarkar is regarded as one of the finest and most elegant batters the game has ever seen. He too had a tough initiation into Test cricket. He debuted against New Zealand in Auckland in January 1976. This was the same game in which Surinder Amarnath scored a famous hundred on debut. (Syed Kirmani also made his debut in the same Test).

After Bhagwat Chandrasekhar’s six-fer held the Kiwis to 266, Vengsarkar opened the innings and was trapped lbw by Richard Collinge for seven. Hedley Howarth dismissed him for just four in the second innings, even as India registered a famous eight-wicket win.

Vengsarkar registered his first Test century (157*) against West Indies at Eden Gardens in December 1978. He is best remembered for scoring three hundreds in consecutive Tests at Lord’s. The former captain ended his Test career with 6868 runs in 116 matches, averaging 42.13, with 17 hundreds and 35 fifties.

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#5 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh bowling in his debut Test. Pic: Getty Images

Whether Harbhajan Singh can be referred to as a great is debatable. He spent the last few years of his playing career in the international wilderness. However, he does possess one of the best records among Indian bowlers in Test cricket - he is fourth on the list of India’s all-time leading Test wicket-takers.

Harbhajan made his Test debut against Australia in Bengaluru in March 1998. He went for 112 runs in 23 overs in the first innings, although he did pick up a couple of wickets. He bowled six overs in the second innings and went wicketless as Australia won the Test by eight wickets.

Three years later, when Australia returned to India, Harbhajan ran through their batting line-up, famously claiming 32 wickets in three Tests. He ended his career with 417 scalps in 103 matches. His wickets came at an average of 32.46 and featured 25 five-fers and five 10-wicket match hauls.

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