Several cricketers have made their India debuts, but only a handful have shone in their first appearances. The first match or series is significant for players since it provides them with additional opportunities. With a strong start in the first game, a player may earn the faith of team management.
Every cricketer’s dream is to play ODI cricket for his country. Every cricketer remembers his or her maiden match fondly and aspires to excel in his first series, whether it’s the nerves at the start of the game or the exhilaration of playing the most exciting form of the game.
Here in this article, we look at the players who won the player of the series award in the ODI debut series
Brijesh Patel vs England, 1974
India played their first-ever ODI series against England led by Ajit Wadekar. Brijesh Patel, who played 10 ODIs in his career and scored 243 runs at an average of 30.37, was named man of the series alongside Keith Fletcher in a two-match ODI series. In the first ODI against England, he scored 82 runs off just 78 deliveries to help India to a decent total, but it wasn’t enough as England easily chased it down. He was unlucky to get run out for 12 in the second ODI, but he seemed like the most at-ease batsman in the Indian batting order in their debut ODI series.
Raman Lamba vs Australia, 1986
Raman Lamba was a cricketer from India. Raman has mostly played as a batsman in four Tests and 32 One Day Internationals. He had a fantastic debut ODI series against Australia, winning the man of the series award in the process. In his first six ODI innings, the right-handed batsman scored 61,1,20,74, 17, and 102 runs, bringing his total to 275 runs in six innings. He deserved to be named man of the series. After the series, he had a tough period, which resulted in his losing his position in the Indian squad sooner than expected. Lamba died three days after being struck in the temporal bone by a cricket ball while fielding in Bangladesh’s league cricket and slipping into a coma as a result of an internal bleed.
Vijay Bharadwaj LG Cup, 1999
Vijay Bharadwaj is a former cricketer from India. He batted right-handed and bowled right-arm off-break. In his first one-day international series against South Africa in the LG Cup in Kenya in the 1999–2000 season, he was named Man of the Series. India, South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe were among the four teams competing in the event, which the Proteas won in the final against India. Vijay Bharadwaj was extremely economical, taking 10 wickets to finish as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
KL Rahul vs Zimbabwe, 2016
KL Rahul is an Indian cricketer who captains Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League and plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket. He is a wicket-keeper and a right-handed batsman. KL Rahul kicked off his ODI campaign with a bang, and he was already a huge name in Indian test cricket before being called up to the ODI squad for the Zimbabwe tour. In the first ODI against Zimbabwe in 2016, he struck an ODI century on debut. He followed up with a 63 not out in the third ODI against the same opponents, and he was named man of the series for his steady scoring in his first ODI series.
Suryakumar Yadav vs Sri Lanka, 2021
Suryakumar Yadav is an Indian cricketer who has represented his country in both ODI and T20I formats. In domestic cricket, he represents Mumbai and plays for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. He is a versatile right-handed batsman as well as a right-arm medium-pace bowler on occasion. Suryakumar Yadav struck an unbeaten 31 off 20 in the first ODI and continued his excellent form in the second ODI with a first half-century. In the third ODI, he started his batting well and was dismissed at 40, demonstrating his calmness and desire as a batsman. He was named man of the series for his contribution.
