Highest Individual Scores on Test Debut:- Displaying extraordinary batting flair on test debut is a dream for any debutante. After all the money, fame and success can fly away, but sweet memories stay forever. Some debuts are scripted in heaven by the almighty, you can only sit and admire the priceless talent of the player and whisper “Wow”.
International test debut is the perfect platform to display all the dedication and hard work invested over the years during training. Millions aspire to become a cricketer and make a remarkable impact, but only 11 players get the chance to play the game.
Highest Individual Scores on Test Debut
#1 Reginald Erskine Foster 287, England
Highest Individual Scores on Test Debut:- There is a very known and familiar proverb in English “Old is gold” meaning priceless. Even today, most of the cricket records belong to “Ancient” cricketers; Foster is just a small thread of a long legacy.
The year was 1901 when the Englishmen accumulated the score of 287 in the second innings of the test at Sydney cricket ground. Reginald Erskine Foster scored the classic 287 runs in 419 deliveries taking the England total to gigantic 577.
He established his authorities over the Aussie pace bowlers, although Australia fought back by taking a lead of 193 runs, Foster jubilant knock had already tarnished the confidence of the Aussies.
Eventually, England registered a historic win over Australia by 5 wickets. Foster knock of 287 still remains the highest score by a player on debut in tests.
#2 Jacques Rudolph 222*, South Africa
Highest Individual Scores on Test Debut:- Jacques Rudolph was seen as a newly discovered batting prodigy during the early part of his career, but couldn’t do justice to his talent and lost his place in the team forever.
He still holds the record of second highest score by test batsmen on debut. It was the innings that announced his arrival on international forum. It was not always an easy outing for Jacques Rudolph, he was called for national duty for many occasions but never selected for the playing XI.
The boiled up frustration blasted his aggression and hunger to perform to at the highest level. He scored 222* backed by 29 tracer bullet boundaries and 2 gigantic sixes, adding a record batting stand with Boeta Dippenaar (429 runs) for the third wicket.
His footwork against the spinners and running between the wickets was a delight to the eyes. If Graeme Smith hadn’t declared the innings, you never knew he might have become the first batsman to score a triple ton on debut.
#3 Yasir Hameed 217, Pakistan
Highest Individual Scores on Test Debut:- Making a ton on debut is great, there many who achieved a similar feat over the last 100 years. Some went a step by scoring a double century on debut, but there are only two, who scored 2 tons on test debut. Yasir Hameed is one of them.
Yasir Hameed made his debut in 2003 against Bangladesh and scored his maiden century at number 3 position, helping Pakistan to take a 58 run lead in the match. Bangladesh fought back and notched a score of 217 on the board.
Yasir again rose to the occasion in the fourth innings and made yet another blistering hundred to his name accumulating a total of 275 runs on debut match. Hi, heroics didn’t last long and he lost his place in the team post-2004.
#4 Matthew Sinclair 214, New Zealand
Heroes are born out of adversity, pain and loss is a barometer to judge the heroic temper. Such one instance occurred in 1999 during the second test between West Indies and New Zealand. The wounded Lion West Indies were all geared to win the second test after the humiliating first defeat. They looked overcharged to win the second test and level the series, but fate had another plan.
It was the debut match for Mathew Sinclair, he looked under pressure before the match, but once he faced few deliveries, there is no stopping for him. His rhythmic and silicon timed shots nullified the pace and bounce of West Indies pace battery.
Although, it wasn’t a free-flowing inning, a well-crafted, patience certified knock of 214 off 447 balls, helping New Zealand to reach the winning score of 453. The West Indies collapsed on 179 and were made to follow on. In the end, New Zealand won the match by an innings and 105 runs whitewashing the series.
# 5 Lawrence Rowe 214, West Indies
Lawrence Rowe is the first cricketer to score two centuries on debut, which includes a solid double ton too. He belongs to the West Indian pedigree that dominated the world cricket for three decades. Beating them at their home den was next to impossible.
The fresh blood of Rowe was infuriating to take on the opponent and blast them with his amazing performance. His wish did come true as he went on to score 214 runs against New Zealand at Sabina Park with the help of 19 boundaries and 1 six.
He looked imperious on the dead rubber and went on to score yet another century in the third innings, grossing a total of 314 runs in the match. However, the match resulted in a draw, but the innings of Lawrence Rowe left a timeless impression over cricket fans forever.
#6 Brendon Kuruppu 201*, Sri Lanka
Most of us don’t know about who Brendon Kuruppu is and what his accomplishments are. Brendon Kuruppu was a cricketer from Sri Lanka, who played 4 test matches for the country, till he hung the boots forever.
He is the only Sri Lankan cricketer to score a double century on debut. He played the hard-fought, patient knock of 201* against New Zealand. The batter took 548 deliveries and 777 minutes at the crease to achieve the milestone.
Although the match ended in a draw, Sri Lanka could have lost the match if Kuruppu hadn’t played a blinder out of the blue. Kuruppu innings of 201* till date is the slowest double ton innings in terms of balls faced and time spent at the crease.
#7 Shikhar Dhawan 187, India
Shikhar Dhawan was labeled one-star wonder before 2013, no one gave an iota thought of him being modern day great. People embraced his stroke play, but never trusted his instincts and temperament. He lacked effective shot selection and sound technique, but 2013 changed everything.
He had a great run in the domestic circuit in 2012, eagerly waiting for hard work transform into opportunity. Finally, he got his dues and got selected for the third test at Mohali in 2013. Fans had rich memories of watching Gautam Gambhir at the opening slot in the past, it was important for Shikhar Dhawan to announce his arrival in grand style.
He didn’t disappoint and smashed a blazing century on the debut of just 85 deliveries. It was his day and he clobbered Mitchell Starc, Moises Henriques, Nathan Lyon and Xavier Doherty to all parts of the park. He kept finding the gaps at regular intervals and delivered the ball to boundary lines on 44 occasions and out of the park on 2 occasions.
The interesting trivia is that Shikhar Dhawan was actually out on the first ball of the match. He was out on the crease on the non-striker end, the ball hit the stumps after touching Starc fingers, but luck saved him and as we know rest is history.
#8 Rohit Sharma 177, India
It was November 2013, people were cheering Sachin Tendulkar to score a ton in his penultimate test, but Tendulkar failed and Rohit Sharma passed. It was Rohit Sharma debut test match and he dazzled the Eden Garden stadium with his electrifying knock of 177.
During the innings, he smashed 23 boundaries and belted one mammoth six towards mid-wicket against Shillingford. When he took off the inning, India core was 83/5and by the end of his innings the score was 453.
He looked comfortable on the front and back foot dispatching the ball towards the rope. India went on to win the match by an innings and 51 runs and Rohit Sharma was declared the Man of the Match for his maiden hundred.
#9 George Headley 176, West Indies
George Headley was the first black batsmen to don the white dress in Cricket. He made his debut against England in 1930 and went on to notch the magnificent knock of 176 in the fourth innings of the match. He amassed the aggregate of 703 runs in the debut series, a world record that time. Witnessing his appetite to score runs in adversity, fans cheered him calling Black Bradman.
He left no stones unturned in doing justice to his immeasurable talent and hit 10 centuries in 22 matches he played for West Indies at an average of 60.8.
#10 Hamish Rutherford 171, New Zealand
Hamish Rutherford will always be known in the cricket annals for his heroic debut against England. England was booked for a meager 167 in the first innings of the match, the stage was set for New Zealand to ruthlessly throttle the English pace battery.
The debutante Hamish Rutherford out of nowhere displayed the fearsome batting, literally toying with the bowling. He smacked the English bowlers to every sphere both on front and back foot. The exuberance of youth combined with sheer confidence was the highlight of his illustrious innings.
He scored 171 runs in just 217 balls with the help of 22 boundaries and 3 massive sixes. England too fought like a lion backed by the two tons of Nick Compton and Cook.
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