Top 10 players who made their debut as teenagers and went on to achieve greatness

It is never easy making your debut at a young age. The amount of pressure that you are under makes it impossible to even imagine what it might be like. Not to mention, the scars that might remain forever etched should there be a string of failures.

However, there have been many who have bucked the trend and went onto achieve greatness even though they were thrust into the limelight early in their career. Despite being teenagers when they made their debut, some managed to play for over a decade and transform the fortunes of their country.

Here are 10 players who made their debut as teenagers and went on to achieve greatness:

Sachin Tendulkar

As a 16-year-old, Sachin Tendulkar had to contend with some of the finest bowlers that the game has ever seen. Not only did he navigate through that period but he established himself as one of the finest ever to have played the game across all formats.

Although a young Sachin was always destined for greatness, few could have foreseen his ability to seemingly dominate international cricket for two decades. By the time, his international career came to an end, he not only held the record for most runs in Tests and ODIs but also finished with 100 international centuries, a record that is likely to stand the test of time.

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi went on to have a long and successful career

Making your debut at the age of 16 is never easy. But Shahid Afridi not only made his debut at the age but also went on to play international cricket for more than two decades. Over the course of his career, he managed to reinvent himself on more than one occasion.

From being a belligerent batsman who could smash the ball into the stands, he became an effective leg spinner and then an all-rounder who contributed with both bat and ball before eventually finishing his career as a front-line spinner who had over 10,000 runs in international cricket and a World T20 title.

Afridi's endearing legacy will not just be his longevity but also his ability to constantly reinvent himself and be a pioneer of a format that didn't even exist when he made his international debut.

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan is the second-leading wicket-taker for India

A 17-year-old tweaker from Punjab made his Test debut against Australia. And it was perhaps fitting because that is the country he would go onto torment the most in an international career that was filled with plenty of wickets. Forming an incredible partnership with Anil Kumble, the pair went on to take more than 1000 wickets for India in Tests.

In 103 Tests, Harbhajan finished with 417 wickets and although he hasn't been able to add to that in the last few years, he will go down as one of India's finest spinners. A tally of 711 international wickets means that he is one of only 13 bowlers to have crossed the 700 mark.

Waqar Younis

As an 18-year-old, Waqar Younis made his Test debut alongside Sachin Tendulkar, a month after his ODI debut. Much like Sachin, the Pakistani fast bowler went on to rewrite the record books and cap off an incredible career, which while not as long, was just as successful.

Waqar is one of only six bowlers to have taken at least 350 wickets in both Tests and ODIs. An elite list that includes Muttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Shaun Pollock and Chaminda Vaas. The right-arm pacer finished with 373 Test scalps and 416 ODI victims, for a tally of 789 wickets, which puts him in eighth place on the list of most wickets in international cricket.

All this in an international that began as a teenager and last just 14 years.

Sir Garry Sobers

The greatest all-rounder to have played the game

Despite making his international debut just three months before his 18th debut, Garry Sobers looked at ease as he picked up a four-wicket haul in his first Test innings. After that, he would go on to rewrite what it means to be an all-rounder in cricket. While there have been many successful all-rounders since then, no one can come close to the elegant West Indian.

His records speak for themselves. Not only did he have over 8,000 runs at an average of 57 but he also had 235 wickets to his name. He broke the record of the highest Test (at the time) when he scored an unbeaten 365* at the age of 21 and aside from being a brilliant fielder, could also bowl left-arm orthodox, wrist spin and pace.

He is not only a complete all-rounder but also the finest that the game has ever seen.

Imran Khan

One of the finest cricketers to emerge from Pakistan

An 18-year-old Imran Khan made his Test debut against England at Birmingham. Back then, few could have foreseen the impact that he would have on Pakistan cricket. Arguably the greatest seam-bowling all-rounder to have played the game, Imran managed to turn Pakistan, who were nothing more than an average side into world-beaters and claimed the 1992 World Cup.

While he made more impact as a player in Tests, where he averaged 37 and picked over 350 wickets, it was in ODIs that he made a bigger impact as captain. His ability to pick up wickets when Pakistan needed it most and be an invaluable asset with the bat, made him the finest all-rounder of his generation, evident from his average of 37 with the bat and 22 with the ball, in Tests.

Aravinda de Silva

Aravinda de Silva in action

Aside from being his country's best batsmen, there was one other thing that separated Aravinda de Silva from the rest. He was also, one of the game's best entertainers, who had an unflappable technique with a penchant for relentless attacking.

At the age of 18, he made his debut for Sri Lanka in ODIs. While his record in Tests look better on paper, it was in ODIs where he achieved cult status. Over 9,000 ODI runs, Aravinda had amassed by the time he called time on his career in 2003. Arguably the most important of those came in the 1996 World Cup final, where he scored a century to help Sri Lanka claim their maiden World Cup against all odds.

Wasim Akram

Akram is one of only two bowlers to have taken 400 wickets in both Tests and ODIs

Few months after his 18th birthday, Wasim Akram made his ODI debut against New Zealand. While he would go wicketless in that game, he went on to finish with 916 international wickets, the second-best tally for a fast bowler and the best for a left-arm bowler.

Aside from Muttiah Muralitharan, he is the only other bowler to take at least 400 wickets in both Tests and ODIs and breach the 500 mark in ODIs. His tally of 502 ODI wickets is the best by any fast bowler and is one that is unlikely to be bettered anytime soon.

While he could make the ball sing and not just talk, he could be just as lethal with the willow as well, evident from his tally of over 6000 runs in international cricket.

Javed Miandad

Finest batsman to emerge from Pakistan

Just a day before his 18th birthday, Javed Miandad made his ODI debut. His Test debut came a year later against New Zealand. Although he was only 19, when he made his Test debut, he made a stupendous 163 against a New Zealand attack boasting of the legendary Richard Hadlee. If some thought, he couldn't top that, he set about proving those doubters wrong.

He went onto become Pakistan's youngest captain and finished a brilliant career with success in both formats and a World Cup to his name. Nearly 9,000 runs at an average of 52 lend credence to the argument that he was unarguably Pakistan's greatest batsmen.

Yuvraj Singh

One of India's finest all-rounders

Yuvraj Singh's career has been a story of overcoming odds and obstacles that have been thrown in his path. A couple of months short of his 19th birthday, Yuvraj Singh made his debut for India in ODIs, a format that he grew accustomed to dominating like few before him.

A man for the big occasion, the all-rounder was an integral part of India's triumph in the maiden World T20 in South Africa and walked away with the Man of the Series in the 2011 World Cup. Constantly being dropped, cancer, drop in form have all not been able to stop the talisman from Chandigarh, who has over 11,000 international runs for India.