Rating the top 5 Test debutants of 2016

#2 Jayant Yadav, India - 8.5

Jayant Yadav was in good form both with bat and ball during his debut Test series

If there had to be a replacement for Amit Mishra in the Test team, it had to be this guy. Yadav has been in good touch these days, both with the bat as well as with the ball. After barely getting playing time during the New Zealand series, Yadav was selected in the squad to face England at home. After being omitted from the playing XI during the first Test at Rajkot, Yadav replaced Amit Mishra for the second Test at Vizag.

The Haryana cricketer scored 35 and 27* with the bat and took a total of four wickets throughout the match; one wicket in the first innings and three during the second innings as India won the match by 246 runs. During the third Test at Mohali, Yadav scored his maiden half-century in international cricket and took two wickets in both innings as India took a 2-0 lead in the series.

However, Yadav’s best moment of the series came during the fourth Test at the Wankhede when he scored his first century in international cricket, building a 241-run partnership for the 8^th wicket. Yadav took only one wicket throughout the match as India won the match by an innings and 36 runs. He was replaced by Mishra for the final Test at Chennai.

The 26-year-old has been in sensational form and has been proving his worth with both bat and ball. Besides having the ability of a specialist bowler, he can also provide additional batting that India might require if the middle-order batsmen fail to deliver.