Most Wickets in Test Debut: Every bowler wants to help their team win by getting as many wickets as possible in a game. The Test format of cricket is the oldest and most common. It has a rich history that has been built up over time. Test cricket games are the hardest, and all the players’ patience is put to the test to the fullest.
Since there are fewer overs in this format, batsmen take their time to hit every ball with the most care and skill. So, it’s hard to catch them off guard and get wickets in this version of the game. But some players have shown the rest of the cricket world how good they are by bowling so well and setting a lot of records in Test cricket. This article will look at the top 10 players who took the most wickets in their first Test match.
The top 10 bowlers to record the most wickets in a test match debut
1. Narendra Hirwani – 16/136
Narendra Hirwani took the most wickets in his debut Test match. His bowling style was right-arm legbreak, and he began his international career with India on January 11, 1988.
This match was dubbed a “perfect debut” due to Narendra Hirwani’s outstanding performance. Hirwani played two innings and had one of his career’s best performances. In the first innings, he took 8 wickets for 61 runs, then another 8 for 75. Hirwani’s 16/138 shocked the cricket world. He has the most debut Test wickets.
2. Bob Massie – 16/137
Bob Massie was the highest wicket-taker in a debut Test series before Hirwani. He only played 6 Tests and 3 ODIs for Australia. On June 22, 1972, he made his Test debut against Team England at Lord’s.
Bob Massie outshone both sides in this cricket rivalry. Massie grabbed 8 wickets for 84 runs in England’s first innings. In England’s second innings, he took 8 wickets for 53 runs. This 16/137 score was the most wickets in a debut Test series until Hirwani overtook it years later.
3. Fred Martin – 12/102
Fred Martin was a popular English First-Class cricketer. He only briefly represented his country, but his left-arm medium bowling is legendary. Martin played 2 Tests for England, but his debut was the best. His first Test was against Australia at Kennington Oval on August 11, 1890.
He threw 6 wickets for 50 runs in the first innings. In the second innings, he took 6 wickets for 52. His score of 12/102 in this match puts him on the third spot for most wickets on Test debut. He’s the English player with the most debut wickets.
4. Jason Krejza – 12/358
Jason Krejza is fourth on the list of most wickets in a debut test match. His first Test was against India in Vidarbha on November 6, 2008.
In his debut test, he took 12 wickets for 358 runs, making him the second-most successful Australian bowler. First innings: 8 wickets for 215; second innings: 4 wickets for 143. This is one of the best Test bowling debuts in 20 years. His debut against India is one of the best bowling performances in cricket.
5. Clarrie Grimmet – 11/82
Early 1900s Australia fast bowler Clarrie Grimmet. His first international cricket debut was against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 27, 1925. Australia led the 1925 Ashes series 3-1 entering the fifth Test.
Grimmet’s precise first-inning deliveries helped his team gain the upper hand. Grimmet took 6 wickets for 37 runs in the second innings. His 11-for-82 total is one of the best in Test cricket history. He played 36 more games, claiming 216 wickets and a BBM of 14/199.
6. Charles Marriott – 11/96
Charles Marriott bowled right-arm leg break for England. On August 12, 1933, he played against West Indies at Kennington Oval. Marriott took 5 wickets for 37 runs in the first innings of the third game.
In the second innings, Marriott got 6 wickets for 59 runs. He took 11 wickets for 96 runs, making him the second-most successful English bowler on debut. Even though he never got a second chance, his debut stats will inspire many aspiring bowlers.
7. Alfred Hall – 11/112
Alf Hall, a South African left-arm fast-medium bowler, has the seventh-most wickets in a debut Test. Alf Hall debuted in 1923 against England in Cape Town.
In the first innings, he bowled 4 wickets for 49 runs. Alf took 7 wickets for 63 in England’s second innings. In his debut Test, he took 11 wickets for 112, one of his career’s highlights. His 11/122 is a South African Debut Test match record.
8. Mohammad Zahid – 11/130
Mohammad Zahid is the first Pakistani on this list. Zahid was a right-arm fast-medium bowler for his team. He played his first Test against New Zealand in Rawalpindi on November 28, 1996. Zahid’s bowling in this match stunned opposing batsmen.
First innings: 4 wickets for 64 runs; second innings: 7 wickets for 66. His contribution helped Pakistan win by 13 runs. Zahid remains Pakistan’s most successful debut Test bowler with 11/130.
9. Alec Bedser – 11/145
Sir Alec Bedser, a right-arm fast-medium bowler, is ninth on this list. On June 22, 1946, he played against India at Lord’s. Bedser took 7 wickets in the first innings, allowing 49 runs.
His second innings bowling yielded 4 wickets for 96 runs. Alec Bedser’s first Test ended with 11/145. This was one of England’s best debut bowling performances.
10. Praveen Jayawickrama – 11/178
Praveen Jayawickrama is eighth on the list of most Test wickets. Jayawickrama played his first Test on April 29, 2021, against Bangladesh.
In the first innings, he took 6 wickets for 92 runs. In the second game, he took 5 wickets for 86 runs, giving him 11/178. His record is the most recent among active players.
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