For any aspiring cricketer who is seeking to make a mark in the international arena, the very first Test match often proves to be the toughest barrier. After numerous years of toil and sacrifices, the biggest occasion of a lifetime can be pretty daunting.
However, there have been plenty of iconic players whose initial foray into the sport of Cricket was nothing short of dreadful. The more important aspect is that those legends managed to bounce back and went on to forge illustrious careers.
Let us go through the forgettable debuts of such prominent cricketers and the subsequent impact that they would go onto have.
#5 – Michael Holding
Imagine Michael Holding in full flow – arms limbering up, feet waltzing along and the graceful execution. The man who was dubbed ‘Whispering Death’ made his entry on one of the bounciest pitches in the world.
However, Greg Chappell took advantage of Holding’s wayward pace at the Gabba and flayed him to all corners. After West Indies were dismissed for 214 in which he himself struck some lusty blows, the Jamaican bowled 20 8-ball overs and conceded 81 runs without picking any wicket.
A resilient second innings partnership between Lawrence Rowe and Alvin Kallicharran set the host a tricky target of 219. But, Greg Chappell replicated his heroics to reach the triple figure mark again. As for Holding, a return of 46 runs from 10 overs meant that he had to wait for Perth to pick up his maiden scalp.
At the WACA, the speedster showed his class by razing through the Australian lower order in a decisive spell which set the stage for a convincing victory. When he was done, there were 249 wickets to his name from 60 games at an average of 23.68.
#4 – Len Hutton
When English batsmen are ranked according to their stature and statistics, Len Hutton sits in the upper most echelon. With almost 7000 runs from just 79 matches at an average of 56.67, the opener had very few rivals who could match his technique and concentration.
But, Hutton’s first taste of Test cricket was ignominious. Predicted by stalwarts such as Herbert Sutcliffe as a propitious talent, he struggled badly against a weak New Zealand outfit.
He was confounded by the quirky artistry of Jack Cowie who combined off-breaks and out-swingers into a single action. After being castled in the first innings for a duck, the right-hander could only better that with a solitary run in the next essay. To top it all, this happened at Lords.
Hutton rebounded quickly and conquered Cowie in the second Test with a stellar century. No other batsmen brought up three figures in the match which England won by 130 runs.
#3 – Shane Warne
During Shane Warne’s early days, there was once a banner in the crowd which read, “Shane Who? Richie Benaud is still the King of Spin.” It is incredible how the flamboyant Australian endeared himself to his countrymen as familiarity grew.
One of the most entertaining bowlers of all time, Warne’s arrival was unforgettable – in the negative sense. Up against a batting lineup who were raised on turning tracks, the leg-spinner sent down 45 overs and gave away 150 runs.
Apart from bringing an end to Ravi Shastri‘s patient double ton, there was very little to cheer for Warne. In a way, it was the sign of things to come for the great man who averaged less than 30 against every country other than India at 47.18.
An interesting sub-plot in the contest was the inaugural face-off between himself and Sachin Tendulkar.
#2 – Viv Richards
The sight of Viv Richards arriving into the crease without any care in the world and ready to pulverize opposition bowlers is a part of cricketing folklore. But, the Richards who made his debut was an apprehensive youngster keen to survive the litmus test.
When confronted with the unorthodox genius of Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Richards looked completely out of depth under spinning conditions. Even as his fellow batsmen made merry, the swashbuckling right-hander was sent back to the pavilion for 4 and 3.
Though West Indies triumphed by a large margin, Richards was left with a huge question mark. In the very next Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla, he took advantage of Chandra’s absence and smashed a brutal 192 to leave the audience spellbound.
Until his arrival, batting meant getting yourself in and slowly bringing out the fanciful shots. However, Viv brought a different manual with him and ruled the roost.
#1 – Don Bradman
Bradman’s final innings is more discussed than any one else’s in the game’s history. Needing only four runs to take his career average to 100, he could not pick a googly thus proving the fallibility of human nature.
The ‘Don’ might not have required the solitary boundary to achieve batting perfection had he begun his career with a more productive debut. At the obscure Exhibition Ground in Brisbane, Bradman was trapped in front by Maurice Tate for 18 in the first innings.
Chasing an improbable 742, the run-machine was halted again, this time for only a single. Australia were routed for 66 by their fiercest rivals in what remains the worst Test defeat of all time (by runs).
Dropped for the ensuing match, Bradman returned to the eleven at the MCG and the rest as we know continues to defy logic.
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