If one failure was any indication of how successful a person would really be, some of the top international cricketers would have never played more than one game. Big Indian names like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina – cricketers who’ve scored massive scores and won India several matches in their career – got out for a golden duck in their first international appearance.
Here’s a look five India cricketers who added no runs to the board in their debut match.
1. MS Dhoni
When he was just one-game-old, not many would have believed that MS Dhoni would go on to become the most successful captain, a match-winning batsman and a star wicketkeeper.
The Ranchi cricketer had made his debut against Bangladesh in 2004, when India was searching for a new man behind the stumps. Coming in to bat at No 7, Dhoni was run-out as he faced his first ball in international cricket.
2. Shikhar Dhawan
Chasing a 290-run target, Shikhar Dhawan opened India’s innings with Murali Vijay in his first ODI match against Australia on 20 October 2010. He left the first ball off pacer Clint McKay, but was bowled out in the next delivery.
Though he also played his first five-day international against the Aussies, his performance in that match was on the contrary. The openers smashed the fastest hundred on debut at Mohali in 2013.
3. Suresh Raina
On the first ball he faced in international cricket, Suresh Raina was out lbw off legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. India went on to lose that ODI against Sri Lanka by three wickets.
4. Parthiv Patel
Test cricket’s youngest wicketkeeper, a 17-year-old Parthiv Patel impressed behind the stumps in his debut match against England, but failed to add any runs to the board.
5. Wriddhiman Saha
Replacing injured VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma, Saha made his international debut against South Africa in 2010 and fell for 0 after facing three balls.
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