Five Batsmen Who Scored Hundred On Debut And Their Last Test

Playing in Test cricket is like a dream come true for every batsman and bowler. Some players have already made it to the international games and still haven’t received a chance to represent their team in the longer format of the game.

The extended version of the game assesses the patience and the talent to bring in runs in the game as long as the player at the crease can. Over the years, the traditional format has turned from being all about the bowlers to the breezing shots knocked by the batsmen.

However, scoring off big numbers in the five-day-long is still a big accomplishment for the batsman. And it becomes special for the batter when they have accomplished remarkable hundred in the very first game of the Test career.

Well, there have been a handful of players who have had the lucky enough to have made their debut entrance composing a ton in the game.

But what makes it even more special is that the players beginning and ending their Test careers with a hundred stick at the footnote. However, there have been only five cricketers who have scored a century on their debut and farewell game of an extended version of the game.

Let us take a look at the list of the said five elite-class batsmen with a hundred in their debut and their last Test.

Five Batsmen Who Scored Hundred On Debut And Their Last Test

5. Alastair Cook (ENG): 2006-2018

Alastair Cook is a name responsible for most of the victorious innings of the England Cricket team in the 21^st century. Unlike the other cricketing personalities of the 2000s, the former English cricketer is regarded as one of the best batsmen who had accomplished himself in Test cricket.

Cook entered in the Test cricket with a composed knock of 104 runs against India in 2006. Throughout his cricketing career, the Southpaw had registered all his best shots against the India cricket team. Having already established his maiden Test against them in Nagpur, Cook marked his highest score of 294 runs against India at Birmingham in 2011.

Known for his ‘daddy hundreds’ in the game, Cook has accumulated a total of 33 hundreds, five double hundreds and 57 half-centuries from 161 Test games. After an exceptional red-ball career, Cook retired with a memorable ton against India in 2018.

The Player of the Match compiled 147 runs in England’s total of 423 in the second innings of the victorious 5^th match of the series. Entering with a bang, Cook signed off his Test career with the record of posting a hundred in both his debut and farewell Test fixtures which once again was recorded against India.

4. Mohammad Azharuddin (IND): 1984-2000

The former Indian skipper and cricketer, Mohammad Azharuddin is the fourth elite batsman to have post a hundred each in his debut and farewell Test. In fact, the prolific Indian batsman showcased his talent with the bat by posting three consecutive centuries in the first three Tests of his cricket career.

Making his debut appearance in 1984, Azhar scored his maiden hundred against England at Eden Gardens. The power-jammed match was drawn, but the budding Indian batter was at the front pages of every sports edition on the following day.

The mighty Indian cricketer played for the India team for more than 15 years. Azharuddin posted a total of 22 hundreds in 147 Test innings. Azhar ended his Test career with another brilliant knock of 102 runs in the 2^nd innings of the game in the game against South Africa in 2000. India lost the Test by a margin of an innings and 71 runs.

3. Greg Chappell (AUS): 1971-1984

The former Australian cricketer, Greg Chappell was one of the finest cricketers who played role-model type performances in the game. The cricketer-turned-coach made his first Test appearance in 1971 against England at Perth. Chappell marked off his entry with a stunning 108 as he thrashed the English bowlers.

From there he went on to feature for Australia in 151 Test innings in his decade-plus cricket career. Chappell accumulated total 7110 runs at an average of 53.86 that were studded with 24 centuries and 31 fifties.

He played his last Test in 1984 against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Chappell singed off his last innings with a spectacular 182. Australia won the match by ten wickets as Chappell became the only third batsman to compose hundred in both the debut and the last Test.

2. Bills Ponsford (AUS): 1924-1934

Opening with Bill Woodfull, the striking Australian opener – Bills Ponsford had given a handful of kick-start performances for the team. Having achieved massive popularity in the First-class game, Ponsford got the opportunity to play in the international game in 1924 against England at Sydney.

He had already set marks in the domestic games and went on to etch his mark in the Test cricket with a striking hundred in his first international fixture. He scored 110 against England as he opened for Australia.

Ponsford went on to play 29 Tests, and an accumulated total of 2122 runs at an average of 48.22. In his decade long Test career, the Aussie opener had bagged total seven centuries and six half-centuries. Ponsford secured his career-best runs in the final game of his cricket career.

He pulled off a mammoth of 266 runs in the final series against England in 1934. Ponsford became the only second batsman to have scored off a hundred in both his debut and farewell Test.

1. Reginald Duff (AUS): 1902-1905

Reggie Duff made his debut in 1902 along with Warwick Armstrong in the match against England at Melbourne. The former Australian cricketer went on to score a bristling 104 and became the first-ever cricketer to have secured a ton while batting at the number 10.

After that, Duff played in 22 Tests from 1902 to 1905 and scored total 1317 runs from 40 innings at the average of 35.59. However, after his first ton in the debut game, the Aussie right-hander bagged the second hundred in the last Test of his cricketing career.

He played his multi-day format at Kennington Oval in 1905 and compiled his career-best of 146. Through his career of mere four years, Duff had also planted six half-centuries. He was the first-ever batsman in the records to have entered with a hundred and sign off with another ton in his farewell game.