Playing the first Test on Australian soil is a difficult task for any Indian batter. The conditions in Australia are much different from India, the place where the Indian batters grow up playing cricket. Unlike Indian wickets, the wickets in Australia do not favor the slower bowlers. Fast bowlers have a larger say in Australia.
The pitch offers more bounce, making it challenging for the batters to score runs, especially when they are habituated to Indian pitches. However, here’s a list of five such Indian players who defied the odds and scored big in their debut Test on Australian soil.
5. 120 – Chetan Chauhan, Perth
Chetan Chauhan is one of the few Indian batters to score a hundred in his maiden Test Down Under. The former Indian player smashed an impressive 120 against the Aussies in his first Test on their soil, that too in Perth.
4. 123 – Rusi Surti, Adelaide
Not many modern-day cricket fans would have heard the name of Rusi Surti. However, he has accomplished the impressive feat of hitting a century for India in his first Test on Aussies’ soil. He scored 123 in Adelaide.
3. 152 – Murali Vijay, Adelaide
Former Indian opener Murali Vijay achieved the feat of scoring 150+ in his maiden Test against Australia away from home. It was in 2014, when Vijay smashed an impressive 152 at the Adelaide Oval.
2. 160 – MAK Pataudi, Melbourne
For a long, long time, the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in his debut Test on Aussies’ soil belonged to MAK Pataudi. The former Indian cricketer scored 160 against Australia while playing for the first time in Melbourne.
1. 161 – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Perth
Highest Score by Indian in his Debut Test in Australia
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) November 24, 2024
161 – 𝗬 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗹 at Perth*
160 – MAK Pataudi at Melbourne
152 – Murali Vijay at Adelaide
123 – Rusi Surti at Adelaide
120 – Chetan Chauhan at Perth
118 – Mayank Agarwal at Melbourne
116 – Sunil Gavaskar at…
Current Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has broken MAK Pataudi’s record today. Jaiswal smashed 161 against Australia in the second innings of the ongoing Test match in Perth, thereby becoming the new owner of the number one position on this list.
