Bowlers to win 'Man of the Series' awards in their debut Test series

Stuart Clark, Australia
Stuart Clark claimed 20 wickets in his first series

In a game dominated by batsmen, it is rare that a bowler emerges out of nowhere and goes on to play a huge role in the success of his team in his very first series. Yet in the history of Test match cricket, 6 of the 9 players to win the Man of the Series award in their debut series, are bowlers.

It shows that all it takes for the bowlers to emerge successful is to stick to what they do best in the domestic arena.

While many of the players may have already played International cricket in other formats, to succeed in Tests requires the virtue of patience, to be relentless against the batsmen and to plot and execute the plans. Most of the bowlers emerging onto the International scene these days have shown the right aptitude and thinking, but rarely execute their plans to perfection from the word go.

Also read: Top 5 players with most Man of the Series awards in Tests

Let us take a glance through the 6 terrific bowlers to win a ‘Man of the Series’ award in their debut Test series.

#1 Stuart Clark – Australia tour of South Africa, March 2006

A forgotten Aussie pace bowler, in the mould of the legendary Glenn McGrath, Stuart Clark made his Test debut in March 2006 in South Africa, flying in as a replacement for his role model, McGrath. He had been in the Test squad before but was yet to win a baggy green.

When he did get it at Cape Town against a strong South African batting line-up, he made it count with a five-wicket haul in his debut innings. He followed that up with 4 more wickets in the second innings, to take a match haul of 9/89.

After taking two wickets apiece in Durban in the second Test of the tour, Clark was back at his best in Johannesburg. He took 3/81 in the first innings and ripped through the South African line-up with a 4/64 in the second, to finish the series with 20 wickets at an average around 15. With the gift of accuracy, Clark relentlessly tested the batsmen outside the off-stump and proved to be a menace in the absence of McGrath.

#2 Ajantha Mendis - India tour of Sri Lanka, Jul/Aug 2008

Ajantha Mendis, Sri Lanka
Mendis tormented India in his debut series

A mystery spinner, Ajantha Mendis made a stunning ODI series debut. His Test debut was even more dramatic. Playing against the Indians in July/Aug 2008, in his first Test series, Mendis took 26 wickets in 3 Tests at an average of 18.38.

In his first Test at Colombo (SSC), Mendis took 4 wickets apiece in each innings as he finished with match figures of 8/132. He continued to trouble the Indian batsmen, who were struggling to read his umpteen variations, in Galle as he picked up 6/117 in the first innings and 4/92 in the second. By the time the third Test had started in Colombo (PSS), Mendis was the most talked about Sri Lankan spinner.

He once again resorted to his bag of tricks and ran through the Indian line-up with a five-wicket haul in the first innings. He added three more in the second to finish with match figures of 8/137. He had 2 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul to show for his efforts at the end of the series.

#3 Ravichandran Ashwin – West Indies tour of India, November 2011

Ravi Ashwin, India
Ashwin contributed with both bat and ball against West Indies

The brilliant Indian off-spinner emerged from the shadows of Harbhajan Singh in his debut series against the West Indies at home in November 2011. In Delhi in his debut Test, he picked up three in the first innings and six in the second to finish with figures of 9/128 in the match. While he picked up 2 wickets apiece in Kolkata, his best was reserved for Mumbai in the final Test.

Also read: Ravichandran Ashwin says getting a five-wicket haul is like an addiction for him

He picked up 5/156 in the first innings and when he got a chance to bat, notched up his first Test ton, a 103. Ashwin had been known as an all-rounder in the domestic circuit, but it was his first exhibition of talents with the willow on the International stage. As though his contribution was still not sufficient, he picked up a further 4 wickets in the second innings.

Ashwin had picked 22 wickets in the 3 Tests and averaged 40.33 with the bat including a century to emerge as the undisputed winner of the ‘Man of the Series’ trophy.

#4 Vernon Philander – Australia tour of South Africa, November 2011

Vernon Philander, South Africa
Vernon Philander bagged 14 wickets in 2 Tests

Philander had to wait 4 years since his debut in color clothing for a chance at the Test level. He made the chance count in all manners, to emerge as a frontline bowler in South Africa’s pace attack in Tests.

In his debut Test at Cape Town in November 2011, Philander warmed up with three wickets in the first innings. After South Africa were bowled out for 96 in their second innings, Philander turned the screws tighter with a 5/15 to bowl out Australia for 47 and emerge as Man of the Match in his debut outing.

Philander furthered his claims in Johannesburg in the second Test with another fifer in the second innings. His stump to stump line and ever so slight nip back in or away made him a huge threat in bowler friendly conditions. He finished as the Player of the Series with 14 wickets in 2 Tests at an average of 13.92 and best of 5/15.

#5 James Pattinson – New Zealand tour of Australia, December 2011

James Pattinson, Australia
James Pattinson had a fine debut series but has been plagued by injury ever since

The Aussie fast bowler had a terrific debut series in Tests against the Kiwis at home in December 2011. He picked up 14 wickets in 2 Tests at an average of 14.0 and best of 5/27, which to date remains his best bowling figures.

In the first Test against the visiting New Zealand in Brisbane, Pattinson had a match haul of 6/91. In Hobart, he bettered the run with a five-wicket haul in the first innings and grabbed three more in the second.

Pattinson had all the right qualities required of a fast bowler at Test level – pace, accuracy and consistency. What he did not have was luck with injuries. A bout of injuries saw him play only 15 more Tests for Australia, in which he took 70 wickets at an impressive average of 26.15.

#6 Mehedi Hasan Miraz - England tour of Bangladesh, October 2016

Mehedi Hasan
Mehedi Hasan spun his way into the record books

The sensational Bangladesh newbie off-spinner, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, emerged from a successful stint with the U-19 squad, to lead Bangladesh’s spin attack against the visiting England side. He started off his Test debut in style with a six-wicket haul in the first innings, troubling the array of left-handers in the English line-up with drift, turn and arm balls. He finished the match with a haul of 7/138 and unfortunately ended up on the losing side.

In his second Test match and the final one of the series, the off-spinner took the bowling attack on his young shoulders and picked up 6 wickets apiece in both innings, completely dumbfounding the England batsmen with his guile. A match haul of 12/159 in a Test is the joint highest for a Bangladesh bowler. His 19 wickets in the series also became the highest for a Bangladesh bowler in any Test series.

Mehedi’s incredible bowling guided the Tigers to their first Test victory over England and helped level the 2 match series 1-1. For his stunning performance, Mehedi was awarded the ‘Man of the Series.’

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Edited by Staff Editor