5 youngest players to take 10 wicket haul in Tests

Getting to play for the national team at a very young age is a clear indication that the player in question is a special talent. However, it is also true that those players often need to accustom themselves to the higher level of Test cricket before they can perform. Hence, it often takes a while before such youngsters can take a 10 wicket haul in Test cricket.

Although that is an accepted pattern there have been plenty of exceptions over the years and some bowlers have proven themselves very early in their career. Here is a look at 5 of the youngest bowlers to have taken a 5 wicket haul in Test cricket.

#5 Mehidy Hasan at 19 years 85 days against England at Mirpur, 2016

The right arm off-spinner is one of the most promising spin bowlers to have emerged from Bangladesh in recent years and in his second Test appearance Mehidy Hasan showed his worth by destroying the visiting Englishmen. Bangladesh had lost the 1st Test of the 2 game series and in the 2nd game, Hasan’s trickery, control and accuracy completely overwhelmed the England batsmen on a turning track at Mirpur.

He opened the bowling and picked up 6 for 82 in 28 overs and in the 2nd innings, he took 6 for 77 in 21.3 overs as England collapsed 164 in their pursuit of the 273 runs target. Hasan was only 19 years and 85 days old when he did this.

#4 Waqar Younis at 18 years 336 days against New Zealand at Lahore, 1990

The Pakistani legend was given his big break while he was still a teenager and by the time he was close to his 19th birthday, Waqar Younis engineered a Test victory for Pakistan at Lahore. In the first innings of the Test, Younis picked up 3 for 20 in 15 overs, however, it was in the 2nd innings that he came into his own.

His searing pace at the age coupled with the ability to swing the ball prodigiously troubled the New Zealand batsmen and before long, they fell to his sustained assault. In 37.5 overs, Younis snared 7 wickets and 6 of those were either bowled or leg before wicket, which goes to show his complete dominance over the batsman. He was only 18 years and 336 days old and it was the first of many 10 wicket hauls for the Pakistani pacer.

#3 Laxman Sivaramakrishnan at 18 years 333 days against England at Mumbai, 1984

The former Indian leg-spinner emerged as India’s biggest spin bowling talent following the era of the famed quartet and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan proved his worth at a very young age. He had everything that one would accept from a complete leg-spinner and in the 1st Test of the series against England at Mumbai back in 1984, he completely overwhelmed the visitors.

In 1st innings, Siva picked up 6 for 64 in 32.1 overs as England crashed to 196 all out and in the second innings he was equally as good as he took 6 for 117 in 46 overs to pretty much decide the match in India’s favour. He was only 18 years and 333 days old. At the moment, he remains the 3rd youngest players ever to have taken a 10 wicket match haul in Test cricket.

#2 Wasim Akram at 18 years 251 days against New Zealand at Carisbrook, 1985

He is one of the greatest fast bowlers to have played the game and the ‘King of Swing’ Wasim Akram showed his prowess as a bowler of rare quality when he was only 18 years world. Although Pakistan lost the 3rd Test match at Carisbrook and with that the series, it was Wasim Akram who emerged with his head held high. At the time, he was a tearaway quick and in addition to that, his ability to swing the ball either way made him an almost unplayable bowler at times. In the 1st innings, he took 5 for 56 to help dismiss New Zealand for 220 and in the process Pakistan managed a first innings lead of 58.

However, they could not capitalise on that and were dismissed for 223, to give the hosts a target of 278. Akram was equally good in the 2nd innings and his opening burst had reduced New Zealand to 23 for 4. He eventually ended up taking 5 for 72 but a century from Jeremy Coney saw New Zealand recover and eventually win the game narrowly by 2 wickets. He remained the youngest to have taken a 10 wicket haul for more than two decades.

#1 Enamul Haque Junior at 18 years 40 days against Zimbabwe at Dhaka, 2005

He was identified as the future of the spin bowling department by the then Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore and Enamul Haque Junior delivered quite early on in his career to convince everyone that he was a serious talent. In the 2nd Test of the series against Zimbabwe at Dhaka, the visitors batted first and after a bright start (65-0), they capitulated to Haque’s spin, bounce and trickery.

He picked up 7 for 95 in 36 overs and helped dismiss Zimbabwe for 298. In the 2nd innings, he picked up 5 for 105 in 37 overs but the match ended in a rather tame draw as the hosts managed to bat out 142 overs after they had been set a target of 374 runs.