South Africa v India: 5 debutants who made a name for themselves

The hosts South Africa and the visiting Indian team were involved in some highly ravishing and spectacular contests, with the hosts winning the Test series 2-1 and then India emerged victorious first in the ODI series by 5-1 and subsequently in the T20I series, which they won 2-1. Both the teams played a resounding and stunning brand of cricket, which also brought the collective competitiveness in each of the matches. Many players were also given their maiden opportunities in the entire Test and limited overs series by their teams to depict their worth on the grandest stages of all.

The teams introduced a number of talented debutants including the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Lungisani Ngidi in the Test matches, while the storming duo of Heinrich Klaasen and Christiaan Jonker during the limited overs series and many others in a quest to surprise the opposition. While the experienced players continued contributing to their natural game, each of these newcomers emerged as glittering prospects for the future for their teams as well as for this game. The debutants recorded some mind-boggling match-defying performances which guided their respective sides towards the finishing line.

Here are the five debutants who have been pretty impressive for their respective teams in the India and South Africa enduring series:

1. Jasprit Bumrah

After a staggering and successful run in the limited overs cricket in the last two years, Jasprit Bumrah was given a chance to depict his skills in the longest format of the game. He made his debut in the first Test match against the home Proteas team in Cape Town. The paceman started things in his maiden game in the format on a leaner note, but then showed everyone his class, by claiming his debut wicket being the great South African batsman AB de Villiers, who is also one of world’s best cricketer in the modern era of the game. In that match, de Villiers was playing a fabulous game-changing knock for his team after the loss of early wickets, but the Indian bowler once again denied the opposition by getting the prized scalp.

He bowled rather improved spells in the second innings when the conditions also were favoring the quick bowlers and ended up picking three wickets in 12 overs. But after a seemingly quite run in the series, he delivered a stunning performance in the final Test match, where Bumrah picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings of the match, which also proved a peculiar factor for the team in their only win in the Test series. In his maiden series that too away from home, the fast bowler bowled pretty intelligently and maturely and thus claimed 14 wickets in the series.