Zimbabwe vs India 2016: 5 Records that were broken during India's tour of Zimbabwe

Srihari
KL Rahul
KL Rahul broke Uthappa’s record

India's tour of Zimbabwe was a productive one in more ways than one. Not only did plenty of youngsters get chances that they wouldn't have otherwise received but also gave the next generation of cricketers a platform to shine in the international arena.

Although winnings the ODI and T20I series by a 5-1 margin might not seem like a competitive test of the side's mettle, there were still plenty of incredible performances throughout the tour. In fact, there were quite a few records that were broken as well.

Here are five records that were broken during India's tour of Zimbabwe:


First Indian to score century on ODI debut

India have been playing ODI cricket for over four decades. Yet until India's tour of Zimbabwe there was a record, a milestone that was never breached. Making your debut for your country is something you cherish for the rest of your life but when you contribute as well in your first game, it makes it so much better.

Up until KL Rahul made his ODI debut for India, the highest score on debut was held by Robin Uthappa's 86. On the back of his impressive Test debut as an opener, he continued his rich vein of form from the IPL and became the first Indian and only the 11th batsman in ODI history to score a hundred on ODI debut.

He even became the first opener to score a century in his first Test and first ODI and got to the milestone in style. But will he go the same way as Uthappa, who only played 45 more ODIs and hasn't breached the 1000 run-mark yet or will he be a regular in the side.

Best bowling figures by an Indian on T20I debut

Barinder Sran

After losing the first T20I, India had to do something to get back into the series. One of the things MS Dhoni did was to bring in Barinder Sran and give him his T20I debut. The Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler, who enjoyed a good IPL and ODI series made an immediate impact.

Sran ran through the hosts' top order as he picked up four wickets. In the end, he finished with figures of 4/10 from his four overs, thereby overtaking Pragyan Ojha as the Indian bowler with the best figures on T20I debut.

In fact, had the left arm pacer taken one more wicket, he would have broken the world record for the best figures on T20I debut, which is currently held by Bangladesh's Arafat Sunny, whose figures of 5/13 against Ireland gave him the record and also became the first Bangladesh bowler to take 5 wickets in T20 Internationals.

MS Dhoni breaks the world record for most T20I dismissals

MS Dhoni

The tour of Zimbabwe might not have given MS Dhoni too much time in the middle with the willow in hand, but it certainly has given him more than enough time to break records and go where no keeper has ever done before.

T20Is as a format might have only been around for a decade but it has already created so much history. In the first T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare, Dhoni created one more piece of history when he became the keeper with the most dismissals in T20Is.

With 61 dismissals, Dhoni now has 1 more than Pakistan's Kamran Akmal. As one of only three players with over 50 dismissals in the format, it looks as though his record might not be broken until he finally calls time on his career.

India's biggest win in T20Is

Winning a T20I is not as easy as it may seem as it only takes one good innings or one good spell to claim victory. So the margin of victory in T20Is aren't always as massive as they are in the other formats.

Before the start of the year, India weren't exactly super powers in the format. But since the start of the year, their three biggest wins in the format were achieved. The first was in the bilateral T20I series against Sri Lanka, when they won by 9 wickets. They equalled that margin when they beat UAE in Dhaka in the Asia Cup.

But they went one better in the T20I against Zimbabwe as they beat the hosts by 10 wickets. Chasing a low total, India's openers went about their task with consummate ease. The battle for who will get to their fifty was won by Mandeep Singh, who scored his maiden T20I fifty and won with 41 balls to spare.

Bumrah becomes first Indian to take 50 T20 wickets in a calendar year

Bumrah
Bumrah has been in sparkling form in the shortest format of the game

Ever since making his debut against Australia earlier in the year, Jasprit Bumrah has been a revelation in the shortest format of the game. So it should come as no surprise that the fast bowler became the first Indian bowler to take 50 T20 wickets in a calendar year.

In 42 T20 matches in 2016, Bumrah has picked up 53 wickets. He also overtook Andre Russell as the bowler with most wickets in the calendar year so far. In addition to that, his 24 wickets in T20Is meant he has more wickets in 2016 than any other bowler in the format.

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