5 bowlers who have taken a five-wicket haul on debut against India in India

Test cricket is a real test for both batters and bowlers as the format demands players to give their best to taste success. For a bowler, taking five wickets in a Test innings is considered one of the most remarkable achievements in his/her career. Although the Indian pitches offer some assistance to the spinners, it is not easy for overseas players to grab five-wicket hauls in subcontinent conditions.

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However, there have been instances when young and new bowlers managed to destroy the Indian batting unit on their home soil. To date, only 7 overseas bowlers have taken five wickets in India on their maiden appearance in the longest format of the game. This article will introduce you to five of those seven best performers. 

Also Read: 4 Indian cricketers who have played 100+ Test matches but never captained

5. Todd Murphy - 7/124 (2023)

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Todd Murphy was one of four spinners in the Australian squad for the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Murphy made his Test debut in Nagpur and impressed with the second-best performance by an Australian debutant in India - 7/124 from 47 overs. He became the youngest Australian to pick a five-wicket haul on his Test debut. The right-arm off-break bowler played all four Test matches on the tour, finishing with 14 wickets.

4. Tom Hartley - 7/62 (2024)

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Tom Hartley was included in the England squad to make the most of the Indian spin pitches. Hartley did not shine in the first innings but understood the conditions well and took seven wickets in the second innings to finish with 9/193. The 24-year-old's performance is now the best match figure for an England spinner on Test debut since 1945. Notably, he played a crucial role in England's historic 28-run victory over India in Hyderabad.

3. John Lever - 7/46 (1976)

Indian pitches are generally known to assist the spinners, but John Lever troubled the Men in Blue with his medium-pace bowling back in December 1976. The Englishman's dream debut in Delhi saw him return figures of 7/46. 

2. Jason Krejza 8/215 (2008)

Former Australia off-spinner Jason Krejza registered one of the most notable figures in Test history in 2008. He claimed eight wickets on his debut but also conceded 215 runs, the most expensive spell by any bowler in their first outing. The right-arm spinner added four more wickets in the second innings, conceding a total of 358 runs. He played one more Test match before being dropped from the squad.

1. Lance Klusener 8/64 (1996)

Lance Klusener, one of the world's best all-rounders in the 1990s and early 2000s, wreaked havoc with his fast bowling in Kolkata in the 1996 Test. The former South African cricketer picked up eight wickets for 64 runs in the second innings of the second Test. The figures remain the fourth-best by any bowler on debut.