Youngest Test debutants for Australia
Australia handed a debut to Todd Murphy for the first of the four-match Test series against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The young spinner has already created a massive impression after scalping a five-wicket haul by Day 2 of the contest. Undoubtedly, earning the Test cap and representing the national team is quite an achievement. In this piece, we take a look at the top three players from Australia who were the youngest while they made their first appearance in Test:
3. Tom Garrett – 18y 232d
On 15 March 1877, the Aussies locked horns against England wherein the former used the services of a young pacer who etched his name in history. Tom Garrett was only 17 years and 239 days old when making his debut for the national side in the red-ball format. With this, he became the youngest player to have featured in a Test outing for the Aussies.
2. Pat Cummins – 18y 193d
Current Australia skipper Pat Cummins surpassed Tom Garrett’s record when he made his first major appearance for the national side in 2011, aged only 18 years and 193 days. It was the second Test match played between The Aussies and South Africa in Johannesburg when Cummins made his debut. Interestingly, the pacer was also adjudged Player of the match for his sensational outing with the ball. He racked up seven wickets across both the innings.
1. Ian Craig – 17y 239d
At 17 years and 239 days, Craig made his Test debut at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), making history as the nation’s youngest-ever Test cricket player. It was on February 6, 1953 when he made history surpassing both Garrett and Cummins’ feat against South Africa.
