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It is often said that the first impression always makes a big mark in Test cricket, as it takes sheer grit, motivation and passion to land a spot in the Test side, and it is fair to say that the glorious opportunity is presented to just a few in number.
Given the expectations from the longest format of the game, a debutant often becomes the focal point of discussion simply because opportunities are aplenty to cement their place in the side and the last time an Indian scored a hundred on debut was in 2018 when Prithvi Shaw rose to fame by scoring a sensational century against the West Indies.
Scoring a whole lot of runs on Test debut is undoubtedly a tough task since it demands a lot of patience and assurance in the middle. To perform at the highest level and make an impact with a big score on debut is certainly a fine achievement.
On that note, here are 5 highest individual scores registered by Indian cricketers on Test debut.
#5 Sourav Ganguly- 131 vs England at Lord's, 1996
In 1996, Sourav Ganguly, who would go on to become one of India's best ever batsmen made his debut for India in Test cricket. Expectations were high and a lot of hopes were pinned on Ganguly before that game as India were taking on hosts England at Lord's.
Ganguly started on a positive note as he scored a scintillating knock of 131 at the home of cricket which stamped his authority as one to look out for the future.
Coincidentally, the same match also marked the debut of yet another Indian stalwart, Rahul Dravid. He too essayed an impressive knock, but was unlucky to have missed out on a 100 as he was dismissed for 95 by Chris Lewis.
#4 Prithvi Shaw - 134 vs West Indies at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, 2018
Prithvi Shaw earned a contract with the senior side on the back of a string of impressive performances for the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League and Mumbai in the Ranji trophy, besides his top performances from the Indian U-19 side.
Handed a spot at the top of the order in his debut Test against West Indies, Shaw grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he scored 134 on debut, and decorated his shots with finesse and composure that attracted applause from pundits and fans alike. His remarkable efforts with the bat earned him the Man of the Match award as India defeated the West Indies by an innings and 272 runs.
Also see – World Test Championship Schedule
#3 Gundappa Vishwanath vs Australia- 137 at Green Park, 1969
Gundappa Vishwanath did not have the greatest of starts to his career as he fell for a duck in his debut innings but made an emphatic statement in the second innings of the very same match, scoring a commendable 137 against Australia at Green Park, Kanpur.
Vishwanath drew a great amount of confidence from his debut innings and scored heaps of runs post his debut Test. He ended the series as the 4th highest run-scorer on either side.
Having scored a total of 6080 runs in 91 Tests, it's safe to say that Gundappa Vishwanath fared well in the longer format of the game and made the most of the opportunities presented to him. His impressive debut paved way for what turned out to be a commendable career fpr the right-handed batsman.
#2 Rohit Sharma- 177 vs West Indies at Eden Gardens, 2013
Rohit Sharma is often considered as one of the finest openers of all-time in the limited-overs format of the game. Rohit is a prolific run-scorer who has been magnificent at the top of the order for the Men in Blue in the shorter formats of the game.
He may have struggled in the red-ball cricket but that doesn't hide the fact that his debut was nothing short of spectacular as Rohit scored 177 against the West Indies at Eden Gardens that helped India inflict a devastating loss upon the visitors by an innings and 51 runs.
Rohit's knock helped revive the Indian innings as the home side were reeling at 83/5 at one point, until the opener played out of his skin to score a glorious century on debut to help India fend off the danger and maintain their dominance over the visitors and for his efforts, deservingly earned the Man of the Match award.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan- 187 vs Australia at PCA, 2013
Shikhar Dhawan has enjoyed a top career so far, having scored a total of 2315 runs in 34 Tests. The southpaw is often considered as one of the most elegant players around and it won't be wrong to say that an on-song Dhawan can turn out to be a nightmare for the opposition bowlers.
Dhawan has scored seven 100s in the longest format of the game and it all started for him in his debut Test against Australia at PCA, Mohali where he smashed 187 to begin his Test career on a fabulous note.
The left-hander smashed the Australian bowlers all over the park and carried out onslaught against the opposition. His partnership with Murali Vijay was instrumental to the team's success as the duo combined to put up a 289-run stand, which laid the platform for an Indian win.
Courtesy of his mammoth 174-ball 187 run knock laced with 33 fours and two sixes, Dhawan was named the Man of the Match.
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