Test debuts are always special for a cricketer, irrespective of whether they bat or ball, and performing well on that big occasion will be the icing on the cake.
A memorable performance in a Test can be scoring a big century or coming up with a timely knock if you are a batter. And on the bowling front, there is nothing better than a 5-fer in an innings or 10-wicket match haul.
To achieve one or more of the above on their Test debut is a high level of eliteness, a feat only a few cricketers have accomplished. It takes a lot of calmness, composure, and grit, apart from skill, to score a century or claim a fifer on their maiden Test appearance.
Here in this list, we celebrate the bowlers with 10 wicket hauls on their Test debut.
10-Wicket Hauls in Debut Test Match
| Player | Match Figures on Debut | Against | Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narendra Hirwani (IND) | 16/136 | West Indies | Chennai | 11 Jan 1988 |
| Bob Massie (AUS) | 16/137 | England | Lord’s | 22 Jun 1972 |
| Fred Martin (ENG) | 12/102 | Australia | The Oval | 11 Aug 1890 |
| Prabath Jayasuriya (SL) | 12/177 | Australia | Galle | 08 Jul 2022 |
| Jason Krejza (AUS) | 12/358 | India | Nagpur | 06 Nov 2008 |
| Clarrie Grimmett (AUS) | 11/82 | England | Sydney | 27 Feb 1925 |
| Charles Marriott (ENG) | 11/96 | West Indies | The Oval | 12 Aug 1933 |
| Alfred Hall (SA) | 11/112 | England | Cape Town | 01 Jan 1923 |
| Mohammad Zahid (PAK) | 11/130 | New Zealand | Rawalpindi | 28 Nov 1996 |
| Alec Bedser (ENG) | 11/145 | India | Lord’s | 22 Jun 1946 |
| Praveen Jayawickrama (SL) | 11/178 | Bangladesh | Pallekele | 29 Apr 2021 |
| Sydney Burke (SA) | 11/196 | New Zealand | Cape Town | 01 Jan 1962 |
| Alf Valentine (WI) | 11/204 | England | Manchester | 08 Jun 1950 |
| Abrar Ahmed (PAK) | 11/234 | England | Multan | 09 Dec 2022 |
| John Lever (ENG) | 10/70 | India | Delhi | 17 Dec 1976 |
| Hines Johnson (WI) | 10/96 | England | Kingston | 27 Mar 1948 |
| Tom Richardson (ENG) | 10/156 | Australia | Manchester | 24 Aug 1893 |
| Kenneth Farnes (ENG) | 10/179 | Australia | Nottingham | 08 Jun 1934 |
| Gus Atkinson (ENG) | 12/106 | West Indies | Lord’s | 10 Jul 2024 |
Key Insights
Over 170 cricketers from different Test-playing nations have taken a 5-wicket haul on their Test debut. England leads the way with 50+ such bowlers who have breached the 5-wicket mark in any of the 2 innings on their Test debut, while Australia comes in next with 33+ bowlers, and 25+ South African bowlers have taken 5-fer on their debut.
11 of the 170+ cricketers went on to take 5-wicket hauls in both innings of their Test debut. Fred Martin, Tom Richardson, Clarrie Grimmett, Charles Marriott, Kenneth Farnes, Hines Johnson, Sydney Burke, Bob Massie, and Narendra Hirwani are the ones who took 5 wickets or more in both innings of their Test debut.
6 English cricketers have taken 10 wickets or more on their Test debut, the most by any team. Australia comes in second with 3 players taking 10-fer in their debut Test match, while Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies have 2 representations each.
