3 Indian stars who made their Test debut in Nagpur
It was a memorable moment for KS Bharat and Suryakumar Yadav, as they were handed their Test debut on the morning of the first Test between India and Australia in Nagpur on Thursday, February 9.
With Rishabh Pant out of action after being involved in a horrific car crash in December last year, Bharat, who has been the former's understudy for a while now, has been handed the wicketkeeper's gloves.
Meanwhile, a back injury to Shreyas Iyer has paved the way for his fellow Mumbaikar Suryakumar to make his bow in the longest format in Nagpur.
With Australia deciding to bat first, it will be a while before the pair get a chance to showcase their prowess with the bat. Nagpur has been a fond venue for quite a few Indian players, though, with a number of stars making their Test debuts at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium and going on to enjoy fruitful careers.
Test debuts for @surya_14kumar & @KonaBharat 👏 👏
The grin on the faces of their family members says it all 😊 😊
#TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @mastercardindia https://t.co/dJc7uYbhGc
On that note, let's look at three such star Indian players who made their Test debut in Nagpur.
#1 Murali Vijay
Murali Vijay belongs to that rare breed of cricketers who went from a swashbuckling opening T20 batsman to a a reliable opener in Tests, esp overseas
Remember, he had 2 IPL 100s till 2012
And, he made his test debut bcz Gambhir was banned for elbowing Watson 😄
Happy bday, Vijay
The recently retired Murali Vijay was a surprise call-up to India's Test squad for the fourth game against Australia in 2008. It was the first match being played at the new VCA Stadium in Nagpur, and Vijay took the place of the in-form Gautam Gambhir, who received a one-match suspension for elbowing Shane Watson.
Opening the batting alongside Virender Sehwag, the Tamil Nadu opener stroked his way to 33 and 41, showing great composure against an Aussie attack featuring Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson.
While his appearances were sporadic over the next couple of years, Vijay went on to establish himself as a mainstay in the Indian Test setup when Gambhir and Sehwag were discarded.
Incidentally, this Test in Nagpur turned out to be Sourav Ganguly's last. The hosts won by a 172-run margin to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
#2 Wriddhiman Saha
In completely unexpected circumstances, Wriddhiman Saha debuted as a specialist batter in the first Test against South Africa in Nagpur in 2010. With Rohit Sharma, all but certain to make his debut, an injury on the morning of the game saw India turn to their only recognized batter on the bench in Saha, while skipper MS Dhoni kept wickets.
Saha's debut couldn't have been more heart-wrenching, as he was one among many Indian batters who fell prey to Dale Steyn's reverse-swing masterclass. Having recorded a duck in the first innings, he fought hard for a 101-ball 36 in the second essay, although the hosts still suffered an innings defeat.
Saha's next Test came almost two years later in Adelaide and he became India's first-choice gloveman in the format post-Dhoni's retirement. He has lost that mantle now to Rishabh Pant though.
#3 Ravindra Jadeja
Heading into the fourth Test against England in Nagpur, India conceded a 2-1 series lead. The changes were inevitably rung in and Ravindra Jadeja was handed a debut on a slow pitch.
The Saurashtra all-rounder responded with economical, marathon spells in both innings, bagging three scalps in all. He didn't make an impact with the bat, managing just 12 runs, but would go on to establish himself as one of the finest all-rounders in the longest format in time to come.
His debut Test ended in a draw, with England recording a historic series triumph on Indian soil.
Also read: [Watch] Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat receive their debut caps ahead of IND vs AUS 1st Test