There are few things in life that never change and a debutant doing well against India has got to be one of them. The recently-concluded Indian tour of New Zealand once again vindicated the fact that if you are a young batsman/bowler/all-rounder, there is no better team than the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-believing-sir-vivian-richards-to-the-women-in-blue-after-a-chastening-defeat-in-the-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Men in Blue</a> to make your debut against. The 6 foot 8 inch tall Kyle Jamieson added himself into a long but prestigious list of cricketers, who made a whirlwind start to their career at the expense of India.

And, he did that with both bat and ball. The tall lanky fast bowler claimed across 9 wickets including a five-wicket haul in his first two Tests, besides scoring 93 crucial runs at an average of 46.50 lower-down the order.

Over the years, a plethora of cricketers which include the likes of Gordon Greenidge, Fred Trueman, Brett Lee, Shahid Afridi, Franklyn Rose, Alan Donald have displayed the very first glimpse of their precocious talent against India.

In this article though, we&#8217;ll focus on a list of cricketers apart from Kyle Jamieson who made a great impact on their debut against India in the 21st century.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405344" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mustafizur-Rahman.jpg" alt="Mustafizur Rahman" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405344" class="wp-caption-text">Mustafizur Rahman. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>

They call him &#8216;The Fizz&#8217;. And, boy! Didn&#8217;t he add some flavour to that &#8216;fizz&#8217; in his bowling when he turned up for Bangladesh in his debut series against India?

It was the summer of 2015. Bangladesh and India had just locked horns in a highly intense and controversial quarter-final of the 50-over World Cup. The Asian Tigers were eventually undone by a rampaging<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/13-toh-waise-bhi-odd-number-hota-hain-rohit-sharma-shares-a-post-that-mumbai-indians-will-win-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Rohit Sharma </a>and an all-round Indian bowling attack and with the Men in Blue visiting their country for a three-match ODI series, just a few days post the World Cup, all they could think of redemption.

India too had come prepared to tackle the likes of Mortaza, Rahim, Shakib, Taskin Ahmed. But, as is always the case, the questions in the exam came from an unexpected source. In this case, that unexpected source was a skinny, young, left-arm fast bowler by the name of Mustafizur Rahman.

The famed Indian batting unit had no answers to Rahman&#8217;s cutters. The left-arm wreaked havoc to become the second-youngest Bangladeshi bowler to claim a five-wicket-haul [5-50] in his very first outing to orchestrated a stunning 79-run-win for the home side.

If anyone thought that it was a fluke, the &#8216;Fizz&#8217; did an even better encore in the next game. The left-arm once again ran through the Indian batting line-up, claiming a six-wicket-haul (6-43) in the process to send the visitors packing for 200; a target that <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-2020-1st-t20i-match-prediction-weather-report-pitch-conditions-playing-xis-and-live-streaming-details/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bangladesh </a>chased down in a mere 38 overs.

Mustafizur finished as the leading wicket-taker in the three-match series- 13 wickets at an average of 11.54- and once again proved that if you are a left-arm fast bowler, the best possible way to launch yourself is to play against India in your debut series.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405343" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Michael-Clarke.jpg" alt="Michael Clarke" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405343" class="wp-caption-text">Michael Clarke. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)</figcaption>

There is a reason why Michael Clarke calls India his &#8216;second home&#8217;. Clarke made his ODI debut against India; he secured his first series whitewash as captain against India (4-0 in 2011-12); his highest Test score (329 at the SCG in 2012) has come against India; his best bowling figured (6-9) have come against the Men in Blue. Hell! He even scored his debut Test hundred against the Men in Blue.

Yep! That famous 2004 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-believing-sir-vivian-richards-to-the-women-in-blue-after-a-chastening-defeat-in-the-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Border Gavaskar Trophy </a>where Australia finally breached what Steve Waugh used to call the &#8216;final frontier&#8217;- beat India in India. It was in this series that a young 23-year-old gave cricket fans a sneak peek into the future of Australia&#8217;s middle-order by showing his precocious skills against high-quality spin bowling.

It is worth remembering that Clarke was only drafted into the side due to an injury to Ricky Ponting.  But the right-hander showed remarkable skills and composure and, for once, made everyone forget that the Aussies were missing a player of the calibre of Ponting.

Clarke scored a brilliant 151 off 248 balls in what was a masterclass in how to tackle top-class spinners like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in his maiden innings at Bangalore and backed it up with a couple of half-centuries in Nagpur to help Australia take an unassailable 0-2 lead against India.

Clarke finished as the second-highest run-scorer- 400 runs in eight innings at 55.40- and as if he hadn&#8217;t hurt India enough with his bat, he landed a final blow- this time with the bowl- as he spun his way to six-wicket-haul in Mumbai.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405346" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ajanta-Mendis.jpg" alt="Ajanta Mendis" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405346" class="wp-caption-text">Ajanta Mendis. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>

Before the emergence of Rashid Khan, Kuldeep Yadav emerged on the scene, there was a certain Ajanta Mendis, who bamboozled batsmen around the world with his &#8216;mysterious&#8217; leg-spin.

And, no one knows it better than India. Mendis made his debut during the 2008 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/reports-bangladesh-to-be-possible-venue-for-asia-cup-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asia Cup </a>where he turned heads by claiming 15 wickets in three games which also includes his career-best figures of 6-13 in the final against the famed Indian batting-unit.

But, as India found out, that was just a trailer. Mendis would soon make his Test debut in the home series against the Men in Blue where he would go on and bamboozle every Indian batsman barring Virender Sehwag.

Mendis claimed 8-132 in his debut Test and went on to overhaul 26 Indian wickets (average 18.38) across the three Tests, shellacking several records including Alec Bedser&#8217;s world record for most dismissals by a bowler in his maiden series.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405348" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Alastair-Cook.jpg" alt="Alastair Cook" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405348" class="wp-caption-text">Alastair Cook. (Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images)</figcaption>

In the spring of 2006, the English Test team were preparing for a gruelling three-match rubber in India when they were dealt with a body blow when champion opener Marcus Trescothick pulled out from the series in order to address his mental-health related issues.

In hindsight, it probably turned out to be blessing in disguise for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-feel-for-the-english-girls-mithali-raj-pens-a-beautiful-tweet-for-india-and-england-womens-teams/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">England</a> as, in Alastair Cook, they found a batsman, who would go on and break almost every English batting record in years to follow.

That Cook was a gritty batsman, who placed a high value on his wicket and believed in batting for hours and hours and hours, was pretty evident from his debut Test match in Nagpur.

The left-hander scored a patient 60 in his maiden innings and backed it up with a three-figure in the second (104 off 243 balls) as England assumed a position of strength in what eventually turned out to be a drawn fixture.

Cook finished the series -183 runs in 2 matches at an average of 61- with his reputation well-and-truly enhanced and added himself into the long and esteemed list of left-handed debutants who have thrived against the Men in Blue.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405345" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kane-Williamson-1.jpg" alt="Kane Williamson" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405345" class="wp-caption-text">Kane Williamson. (Photo by PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>

Another future legend was unleashed at the expense of India. Yep! The ever-so &#8216;nice guy&#8217; and a brilliant batsman and an inspiring leader, Kane Williamson too choose India to display his first glimpse of brilliance at the International stage.

In the winter of 2010, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/new-zealand-cricket-keeping-a-tab-on-coronavirus-and-updating-to-all-including-ipl-bound-players/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a> Cricket was going through a tough time. They had been hammered 0-4 in the ODI series in Bangladesh in the lead-up to the tour of India.

But, as has always been the case, the Kiwis punched above their weights to push India to the limit in the three-match Test series. And, one of the spearheads in their resurgence was a young batsman from Mount Maunganui, who would later go on to become of the very best that their country has ever produced- Kane Williamson.

Williamson made his debut in Ahmedabad and didn&#8217;t take much time before showing his class with a pristine 131 off 299 balls to help New Zealand rack up 459 in response to India&#8217;s first-innings total of 487.

The right-hander eventually finished with 212 runs in five innings at an average of 42.4o. New Zealand eventually lost the series 0-1 but in Kane Williamson, they unearthed a gem; someone who would go on to become one of the very best this beautiful game has ever witnessed.

Honourable mention (in the 21st century):  Joe Root, Josh Hazlewood, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings

There are few things in life that never change and a debutant doing well against India has got to be one of them. The recently-concluded Indian tour of New Zealand once again vindicated the fact that if you are a young batsman/bowler/all-rounder, there is no better team than the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-believing-sir-vivian-richards-to-the-women-in-blue-after-a-chastening-defeat-in-the-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Men in Blue</a> to make your debut against. The 6 foot 8 inch tall Kyle Jamieson added himself into a long but prestigious list of cricketers, who made a whirlwind start to their career at the expense of India.
And, he did that with both bat and ball. The tall lanky fast bowler claimed across 9 wickets including a five-wicket haul in his first two Tests, besides scoring 93 crucial runs at an average of 46.50 lower-down the order.
Over the years, a plethora of cricketers which include the likes of Gordon Greenidge, Fred Trueman, Brett Lee, Shahid Afridi, Franklyn Rose, Alan Donald have displayed the very first glimpse of their precocious talent against India.
In this article though, we’ll focus on a list of cricketers apart from Kyle Jamieson who made a great impact on their debut against India in the 21st century.
Here’s the list:
<h3>1. Mustafizur Rahman- 2015</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405344" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405344" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-405344" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mustafizur-Rahman.jpg" alt="Mustafizur Rahman" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405344" class="wp-caption-text">Mustafizur Rahman. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
They call him ‘The Fizz’. And, boy! Didn’t he add some flavour to that ‘fizz’ in his bowling when he turned up for Bangladesh in his debut series against India?
It was the summer of 2015. Bangladesh and India had just locked horns in a highly intense and controversial quarter-final of the 50-over World Cup. The Asian Tigers were eventually undone by a rampaging<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/13-toh-waise-bhi-odd-number-hota-hain-rohit-sharma-shares-a-post-that-mumbai-indians-will-win-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Rohit Sharma </a>and an all-round Indian bowling attack and with the Men in Blue visiting their country for a three-match ODI series, just a few days post the World Cup, all they could think of redemption.
India too had come prepared to tackle the likes of Mortaza, Rahim, Shakib, Taskin Ahmed. But, as is always the case, the questions in the exam came from an unexpected source. In this case, that unexpected source was a skinny, young, left-arm fast bowler by the name of Mustafizur Rahman.
The famed Indian batting unit had no answers to Rahman’s cutters. The left-arm wreaked havoc to become the second-youngest Bangladeshi bowler to claim a five-wicket-haul [5-50] in his very first outing to orchestrated a stunning 79-run-win for the home side.
If anyone thought that it was a fluke, the ‘Fizz’ did an even better encore in the next game. The left-arm once again ran through the Indian batting line-up, claiming a six-wicket-haul (6-43) in the process to send the visitors packing for 200; a target that <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-2020-1st-t20i-match-prediction-weather-report-pitch-conditions-playing-xis-and-live-streaming-details/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bangladesh </a>chased down in a mere 38 overs.
Mustafizur finished as the leading wicket-taker in the three-match series- 13 wickets at an average of 11.54- and once again proved that if you are a left-arm fast bowler, the best possible way to launch yourself is to play against India in your debut series.

<h3>2. Michael Clarke- 2004</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405343" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405343" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-405343" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Michael-Clarke.jpg" alt="Michael Clarke" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405343" class="wp-caption-text">Michael Clarke. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
There is a reason why Michael Clarke calls India his ‘second home’. Clarke made his ODI debut against India; he secured his first series whitewash as captain against India (4-0 in 2011-12); his highest Test score (329 at the SCG in 2012) has come against India; his best bowling figured (6-9) have come against the Men in Blue. Hell! He even scored his debut Test hundred against the Men in Blue.
Yep! That famous 2004 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-believing-sir-vivian-richards-to-the-women-in-blue-after-a-chastening-defeat-in-the-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Border Gavaskar Trophy </a>where Australia finally breached what Steve Waugh used to call the ‘final frontier’- beat India in India. It was in this series that a young 23-year-old gave cricket fans a sneak peek into the future of Australia’s middle-order by showing his precocious skills against high-quality spin bowling.
It is worth remembering that Clarke was only drafted into the side due to an injury to Ricky Ponting.&nbsp; But the right-hander showed remarkable skills and composure and, for once, made everyone forget that the Aussies were missing a player of the calibre of Ponting.
Clarke scored a brilliant 151 off 248 balls in what was a masterclass in how to tackle top-class spinners like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in his maiden innings at Bangalore and backed it up with a couple of half-centuries in Nagpur to help Australia take an unassailable 0-2 lead against India.
Clarke finished as the second-highest run-scorer- 400 runs in eight innings at 55.40- and as if he hadn’t hurt India enough with his bat, he landed a final blow- this time with the bowl- as he spun his way to six-wicket-haul in Mumbai.

<h3>3. Ajanta Mendis- 2008</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405346" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405346" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-405346" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ajanta-Mendis.jpg" alt="Ajanta Mendis" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405346" class="wp-caption-text">Ajanta Mendis. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Before the emergence of Rashid Khan, Kuldeep Yadav emerged on the scene, there was a certain Ajanta Mendis, who bamboozled batsmen around the world with his ‘mysterious’ leg-spin.
And, no one knows it better than India. Mendis made his debut during the 2008 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/reports-bangladesh-to-be-possible-venue-for-asia-cup-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asia Cup </a>where he turned heads by claiming 15 wickets in three games which also includes his career-best figures of 6-13 in the final against the famed Indian batting-unit.
But, as India found out, that was just a trailer. Mendis would soon make his Test debut in the home series against the Men in Blue where he would go on and bamboozle every Indian batsman barring Virender Sehwag.
Mendis claimed 8-132 in his debut Test and went on to overhaul 26 Indian wickets (average 18.38) across the three Tests, shellacking several records including Alec Bedser’s world record for most dismissals by a bowler in his maiden series.
<h3>4. Alastair Cook- 2006</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405348" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405348" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-405348" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Alastair-Cook.jpg" alt="Alastair Cook" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405348" class="wp-caption-text">Alastair Cook. (Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
In the spring of 2006, the English Test team were preparing for a gruelling three-match rubber in India when they were dealt with a body blow when champion opener Marcus Trescothick pulled out from the series in order to address his mental-health related issues.
In hindsight, it probably turned out to be blessing in disguise for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-feel-for-the-english-girls-mithali-raj-pens-a-beautiful-tweet-for-india-and-england-womens-teams/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">England</a> as, in Alastair Cook, they found a batsman, who would go on and break almost every English batting record in years to follow.
That Cook was a gritty batsman, who placed a high value on his wicket and believed in batting for hours and hours and hours, was pretty evident from his debut Test match in Nagpur.
The left-hander scored a patient 60 in his maiden innings and backed it up with a three-figure in the second (104 off 243 balls) as England assumed a position of strength in what eventually turned out to be a drawn fixture.
Cook finished the series -183 runs in 2 matches at an average of 61- with his reputation well-and-truly enhanced and added himself into the long and esteemed list of left-handed debutants who have thrived against the Men in Blue.

<h3>5. Kane Williamson- 2010</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405345" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405345" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-405345" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kane-Williamson-1.jpg" alt="Kane Williamson" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405345" class="wp-caption-text">Kane Williamson. (Photo by PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Another future legend was unleashed at the expense of India. Yep! The ever-so ‘nice guy’ and a brilliant batsman and an inspiring leader, Kane Williamson too choose India to display his first glimpse of brilliance at the International stage.
In the winter of 2010, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/new-zealand-cricket-keeping-a-tab-on-coronavirus-and-updating-to-all-including-ipl-bound-players/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a> Cricket was going through a tough time. They had been hammered 0-4 in the ODI series in Bangladesh in the lead-up to the tour of India.
But, as has always been the case, the Kiwis punched above their weights to push India to the limit in the three-match Test series. And, one of the spearheads in their resurgence was a young batsman from Mount Maunganui, who would later go on to become of the very best that their country has ever produced- Kane Williamson.
Williamson made his debut in Ahmedabad and didn’t take much time before showing his class with a pristine 131 off 299 balls to help New Zealand rack up 459 in response to India’s first-innings total of 487.
The right-hander eventually finished with 212 runs in five innings at an average of 42.4o. New Zealand eventually lost the series 0-1 but in Kane Williamson, they unearthed a gem; someone who would go on to become one of the very best this beautiful game has ever witnessed.
Honourable mention (in the 21st century):&nbsp; Joe Root, Josh Hazlewood, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings

There are few things in life that never change and a debutant doing well against India has got to be one of them. The recently-concluded Indian tour of New Zealand once again vindicated the fact that if you are a young batsman/bowler/all-rounder, there is no better team than the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-believing-sir-vivian-richards-to-the-women-in-blue-after-a-chastening-defeat-in-the-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Men in Blue</a> to make your debut against. The 6 foot 8 inch tall Kyle Jamieson added himself into a long but prestigious list of cricketers, who made a whirlwind start to their career at the expense of India.
And, he did that with both bat and ball. The tall lanky fast bowler claimed across 9 wickets including a five-wicket haul in his first two Tests, besides scoring 93 crucial runs at an average of 46.50 lower-down the order.
Over the years, a plethora of cricketers which include the likes of Gordon Greenidge, Fred Trueman, Brett Lee, Shahid Afridi, Franklyn Rose, Alan Donald have displayed the very first glimpse of their precocious talent against India.
In this article though, we&#8217;ll focus on a list of cricketers apart from Kyle Jamieson who made a great impact on their debut against India in the 21st century.
Here&#8217;s the list:
<h3>1. Mustafizur Rahman- 2015</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405344" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405344" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405344" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mustafizur-Rahman.jpg" alt="Mustafizur Rahman" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405344" class="wp-caption-text">Mustafizur Rahman. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
They call him &#8216;The Fizz&#8217;. And, boy! Didn&#8217;t he add some flavour to that &#8216;fizz&#8217; in his bowling when he turned up for Bangladesh in his debut series against India?
It was the summer of 2015. Bangladesh and India had just locked horns in a highly intense and controversial quarter-final of the 50-over World Cup. The Asian Tigers were eventually undone by a rampaging<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/13-toh-waise-bhi-odd-number-hota-hain-rohit-sharma-shares-a-post-that-mumbai-indians-will-win-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Rohit Sharma </a>and an all-round Indian bowling attack and with the Men in Blue visiting their country for a three-match ODI series, just a few days post the World Cup, all they could think of redemption.
India too had come prepared to tackle the likes of Mortaza, Rahim, Shakib, Taskin Ahmed. But, as is always the case, the questions in the exam came from an unexpected source. In this case, that unexpected source was a skinny, young, left-arm fast bowler by the name of Mustafizur Rahman.
The famed Indian batting unit had no answers to Rahman&#8217;s cutters. The left-arm wreaked havoc to become the second-youngest Bangladeshi bowler to claim a five-wicket-haul [5-50] in his very first outing to orchestrated a stunning 79-run-win for the home side.
If anyone thought that it was a fluke, the &#8216;Fizz&#8217; did an even better encore in the next game. The left-arm once again ran through the Indian batting line-up, claiming a six-wicket-haul (6-43) in the process to send the visitors packing for 200; a target that <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-2020-1st-t20i-match-prediction-weather-report-pitch-conditions-playing-xis-and-live-streaming-details/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bangladesh </a>chased down in a mere 38 overs.
Mustafizur finished as the leading wicket-taker in the three-match series- 13 wickets at an average of 11.54- and once again proved that if you are a left-arm fast bowler, the best possible way to launch yourself is to play against India in your debut series.

<h3>2. Michael Clarke- 2004</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405343" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405343" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405343" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Michael-Clarke.jpg" alt="Michael Clarke" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405343" class="wp-caption-text">Michael Clarke. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
There is a reason why Michael Clarke calls India his &#8216;second home&#8217;. Clarke made his ODI debut against India; he secured his first series whitewash as captain against India (4-0 in 2011-12); his highest Test score (329 at the SCG in 2012) has come against India; his best bowling figured (6-9) have come against the Men in Blue. Hell! He even scored his debut Test hundred against the Men in Blue.
Yep! That famous 2004 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-believing-sir-vivian-richards-to-the-women-in-blue-after-a-chastening-defeat-in-the-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Border Gavaskar Trophy </a>where Australia finally breached what Steve Waugh used to call the &#8216;final frontier&#8217;- beat India in India. It was in this series that a young 23-year-old gave cricket fans a sneak peek into the future of Australia&#8217;s middle-order by showing his precocious skills against high-quality spin bowling.
It is worth remembering that Clarke was only drafted into the side due to an injury to Ricky Ponting.  But the right-hander showed remarkable skills and composure and, for once, made everyone forget that the Aussies were missing a player of the calibre of Ponting.
Clarke scored a brilliant 151 off 248 balls in what was a masterclass in how to tackle top-class spinners like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in his maiden innings at Bangalore and backed it up with a couple of half-centuries in Nagpur to help Australia take an unassailable 0-2 lead against India.
Clarke finished as the second-highest run-scorer- 400 runs in eight innings at 55.40- and as if he hadn&#8217;t hurt India enough with his bat, he landed a final blow- this time with the bowl- as he spun his way to six-wicket-haul in Mumbai.

<h3>3. Ajanta Mendis- 2008</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405346" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405346" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405346" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ajanta-Mendis.jpg" alt="Ajanta Mendis" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405346" class="wp-caption-text">Ajanta Mendis. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Before the emergence of Rashid Khan, Kuldeep Yadav emerged on the scene, there was a certain Ajanta Mendis, who bamboozled batsmen around the world with his &#8216;mysterious&#8217; leg-spin.
And, no one knows it better than India. Mendis made his debut during the 2008 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/reports-bangladesh-to-be-possible-venue-for-asia-cup-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asia Cup </a>where he turned heads by claiming 15 wickets in three games which also includes his career-best figures of 6-13 in the final against the famed Indian batting-unit.
But, as India found out, that was just a trailer. Mendis would soon make his Test debut in the home series against the Men in Blue where he would go on and bamboozle every Indian batsman barring Virender Sehwag.
Mendis claimed 8-132 in his debut Test and went on to overhaul 26 Indian wickets (average 18.38) across the three Tests, shellacking several records including Alec Bedser&#8217;s world record for most dismissals by a bowler in his maiden series.
<h3>4. Alastair Cook- 2006</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405348" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405348" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405348" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Alastair-Cook.jpg" alt="Alastair Cook" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405348" class="wp-caption-text">Alastair Cook. (Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
In the spring of 2006, the English Test team were preparing for a gruelling three-match rubber in India when they were dealt with a body blow when champion opener Marcus Trescothick pulled out from the series in order to address his mental-health related issues.
In hindsight, it probably turned out to be blessing in disguise for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-feel-for-the-english-girls-mithali-raj-pens-a-beautiful-tweet-for-india-and-england-womens-teams/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">England</a> as, in Alastair Cook, they found a batsman, who would go on and break almost every English batting record in years to follow.
That Cook was a gritty batsman, who placed a high value on his wicket and believed in batting for hours and hours and hours, was pretty evident from his debut Test match in Nagpur.
The left-hander scored a patient 60 in his maiden innings and backed it up with a three-figure in the second (104 off 243 balls) as England assumed a position of strength in what eventually turned out to be a drawn fixture.
Cook finished the series -183 runs in 2 matches at an average of 61- with his reputation well-and-truly enhanced and added himself into the long and esteemed list of left-handed debutants who have thrived against the Men in Blue.

<h3>5. Kane Williamson- 2010</h3>
<figure id="attachment_405345" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405345" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-405345" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kane-Williamson-1.jpg" alt="Kane Williamson" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-405345" class="wp-caption-text">Kane Williamson. (Photo by PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Another future legend was unleashed at the expense of India. Yep! The ever-so &#8216;nice guy&#8217; and a brilliant batsman and an inspiring leader, Kane Williamson too choose India to display his first glimpse of brilliance at the International stage.
In the winter of 2010, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/new-zealand-cricket-keeping-a-tab-on-coronavirus-and-updating-to-all-including-ipl-bound-players/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a> Cricket was going through a tough time. They had been hammered 0-4 in the ODI series in Bangladesh in the lead-up to the tour of India.
But, as has always been the case, the Kiwis punched above their weights to push India to the limit in the three-match Test series. And, one of the spearheads in their resurgence was a young batsman from Mount Maunganui, who would later go on to become of the very best that their country has ever produced- Kane Williamson.
Williamson made his debut in Ahmedabad and didn&#8217;t take much time before showing his class with a pristine 131 off 299 balls to help New Zealand rack up 459 in response to India&#8217;s first-innings total of 487.
The right-hander eventually finished with 212 runs in five innings at an average of 42.4o. New Zealand eventually lost the series 0-1 but in Kane Williamson, they unearthed a gem; someone who would go on to become one of the very best this beautiful game has ever witnessed.
Honourable mention (in the 21st century):  Joe Root, Josh Hazlewood, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings

Over the years, a plethora of cricketers have displayed the very first glimpse of their precocious talent against India.

5 debutants who had a brilliant start to their career against India

Over the years, a plethora of cricketers have displayed the very first glimpse of their precocious talent against India in their debut series.