Top 5 Highest Individual Scores By Indian Batsmen On Test Debut

Batsmen scoring three-figure mark during their Test debut is something most cricketers only dream of. While there are quite many instances of batsmen mustering a century in their first-ever Test, some of the greatest have missed out on the same. Breaching the three-figure mark in the first Test sets their careers up for further progress down the line.

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As far as India is concerned, a total of 15 players have managed a hundred in their inaugural Test appearance. Lala Amarnath was the first batsman to do so in 1933 against England at the Gymkhana Ground in Mumbai. Prithvi Shaw is the latest batsman to achieve the feat, having done it in 2018 against the West Indies in Rajkot.

We take a glance at five highest scores by Indian batsmen on Test debut:

Sourav Ganguly – 131

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly stands fifth on the list, having played his first of 111 Tests in 1996. He was the finest left-handed batsmen during his playing days. The Prince of Kolkata couldn’t have picked a better venue to make his debut and score a century. In reply to England’s first innings of 344 at the Lord’s, the tourists found themselves under pressure at 59-2.

Ganguly batted at number three and crunched a mindblowing hundred. He was the sixth wicket to fall, having been dismissed by Alan Mullally for 131. Ganguly top-scored as India made 429 while another debutant in Rahul Dravid made 95. As far as a result goes, the game resulted in a draw.

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Prithvi Shaw – 134

Mumbai batsman Prithvi Shaw became the 15th Indian player to score a hundred on Test debut. The little dynamite reached his maiden ODI hundred in Rajkot against the West Indies in the 33rd over of the Indian innings with a double off a cover drive. Shaw crunched 134 off only 154 deliveries that contained 19 boundaries.

Devendra Bishoo dismissed him in the 51st over with the caught and bowled method. Captain Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja scored centuries as well as the hosts piled on 649 before declaring. The men in blue beat the men from the Caribbean by an innings and 272 runs.

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Gundappa Vishwanath – 137

Gundappa Vishwanath’s century is the only in this list, which arrived in the second innings. It was a spectacular turnaround in Kanpur in 1969 as Vishwanath departed for a duck in the first innings and top-scored in the next. In reply to India’s 320, Australia took a slender lead of 28, headlined by Paul Sheahan’s century.

Gundappa Vishwanath’s 137 that contained 25 boundaries played one of the most exceptional knocks. Opening batsman Vinoo Mankad played a well-defined supporting by making 68 to give the tourists 285 to chase. Even though Bill Lawry’s men were on course with 95-0 in pursuit, the match resulted in a draw.

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Rohit Sharma – 177

On his Test debut against the West Indies in 2013 in Kolkata, Rohit Sharma batted at number six. It almost seems unbelievable since Rohit Sharma is one of the best opening batsmen at present. But he was equally flawless when batting at the lower middle-order. The hosts were well and truly struggling at 156-6 when captain MS Dhoni departed for 42 in response to the visitors’ 234.

At number six, Rohit stitched a partnership of 280 along with Ravichandran Ashwin. The 33-year old mustered 177 off 301 deliveries while off-spinner Ashwin made 124 off 210 balls. India eventually won the match by an innings and 51 runs. In his debut innings, Rohit received the man of the match award for his match-saving knock.

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Shikhar Dhawan – 187

Shikhar Dhawan perhaps played one of the best debut innings in Test in March 2013 in Mohali. The frontline bowlers in Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Moises Henriques had no answers to the southpaw’s onslaught. Dhawan brought his maiden Test hundred off 85 deliveries.

The 34-year old was the first batsman to be dismissed between him and Murali Vijay as added 289 runs for the opening wicket. The hosts comfortably won the match by six wickets as Dhawan received the man of the match award for his 174-ball 187.

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(All stats updated till 7th June, 2020)