10 Rookie bowlers who thumped India

India’s annihilation at the hands of the Lanky pace bowling trio of Kasun Rajitha, Dasun Shanaka, and Dushmantha Chameera was very bitter. Kasun Rajitha, in particular, was very impressive and blew the top order on a green deck at Pune. But, it’s not the first time that bowlers with little international experience have toppled the mighty Indians. Here we try to list out some other memorable performance of rookie bowlers against India. 1. Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) – 6/13: Sri Lankan bowler Ajantha Mendis. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) The Indians started out as the favorites to win the 2008 Asia Cup when they met Sri Lanka in the finals at the National Stadium, Karachi. Sanath Jayasuriya thrashed the Indian bowlers and hit a masterful 125 off 114 balls. Sri Lanka eventually set a target of 274 runs for India to chase. The Indians began the chase well with Sehwag scoring quick runs at the start. However, the twist in the match came after Jayawardene brought their “mystery spinner” Ajantha Mendis into the attack. Mendis bamboozled the Indian batsmen as they crumbled from 76 for 1 to 173 all out. The tormentor in chief, Mendis ended with figures of 6 for 13 in 8 overs and was adjudged the man of the match. 2. Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 5/50: Mustafizur Rahman. (Photo Source: Associated Press) In June 2015, India toured Bangladesh for one Test and three One-Day Internationals. Mustafizur Rahman was handed the debut in the first ODI and he took no time to make his mark, thumping the strong Indian batting line-up by taking 5/50. Chasing 308 runs, India had a good start but the match turned upside down after Rahman was introduced into the attack. The left-arm seamer flummoxed the Indian batsmen with his mixtures of away swingers and well disguised slower deliveries. The impact of his performance resulted in India slumping from 95 for 0 to 228 all out and losing the match by 79 runs. 3. Allan Donald (India) – 5/29: Allan Donald. (© Getty Images) A 25-year-old Allan Donald made his international debut in 1991 against India in South Africa’s first series after the dark period of apartheid at Eden Gardens, Kolkata and went on a complete rampage with the ball. After South Africa were put into bat, they put on 177 on the board and Donald with the red cherry made life miserable for the Indian batsmen. He claimed figures of 8.4-0-29-5. However, fortunately, for India, they were rescued by their bowlers and ended up winning the match. Donald and Tendulkar were both adjudged the Man of the Match. 4. Umar Gul (Pakistan) – 5/31: Pakistani cricketer Umar Gul (C) gestures after bowling out Indian batsman Venkatsai Laxman. (Photo by ARIF ALI/AFP/Getty Images) After getting dominated by India in the first Test at Multan, Pakistan included Umar Gul in their playing XI for the second Test at Lahore in the 2004 series. India had no idea about the right-arm fast bowler who later proved to be the deciding factor of the match. Gul bowled a devastating spell of 5/31 to bowl out India for 287 runs. Pakistan made most of the early advantage and won the match by 9 wickets as India failed to recover from the first innings downfall. 5. Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh) – 5/28: Taskin Ahmed. (Photo Source: AFP) After impressing the selectors at the junior level, Taskin Ahmed was handed his debut in the second ODI against India in 2014. The second string Indian side had won the first ODI and looked favorites to win the second as well. However, the Men in Blue were stunned as debutant Taskin rattled the visitors by picking up numbers of 5/18. As a result, India were shot out for just 105 runs. However, the limelight could not stay on Taskin for long as Stuart Binny produced a once-in-a-lifetime spell to take 6 for 4 helping India win incredibly by 47 runs. 6. Jade Dernbach (England) – 4/22: England cricketers congratulate teammate Jade Dernbach. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) Jade Dernbach was pretty new to international cricket. The tattooed right-arm seamer was playing just his second international match when he managed to dominate India at Manchester in a one-off T20I match. He started well by packing Parthiv Patel in his first spell and then came back to quickly clean up the tail-enders to enable England wrap up India for a total of 165 runs. Dernbach, with 4/22, finished with the best figures among English bowlers that day. 7. Ken MacLeay (Australia) – 6/39: Ken MacLeay. (Photo by David Munden/Popperfoto/Getty Images) Not many know or remember Ken MacLeay but the Kapil Dev led Indian side would surely do. The occasion was the 1983 Prudential Cup where India met Australia at Trent Bridge. Australia batted first and amassed a remarkable 320 runs with the help of Trevor Chappell. India, in reply, were bossed by the right-arm medium pacer Ken MacLeay, who broke the Indian batting line-up into pieces with his match–winning spell of 6/39. MacLeay dismantled the middle and lower order of the eventual champions to help Australia win the match by a formidable 162 runs. 8. Angelo Matthews (Sri Lanka) – 6/20: Angelo Matthews. (Photo Source: BCCI) It was the 3rd ODI of the Compaq Cup where India met hosts Sri Lanka. The Lankans batted first and made a challenging 307/6 with the help of brilliant half-centuries from Sanath Jayasuriya and Thilina Kadamby. Indians, in reply, could not manage to handle the exploits of the young Angelo Matthews and were bundled out for just 168 with the future Lankan skipper taking superb figures of 6/20. The after effect of Sri Lanka’s superiority was bitter for India as they lost their top spot in the ODI ranking just 24 hours after claiming it. 9. Patrick Patterson (West Indies) – 6/29: Patrick Patterson. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Patrick Eagar Collection via Getty Images) This performance takes us a couple of decades back in 1987 when West Indies toured India. It was the first ODI of the tour and the venue was the Vidarbha Stadium at Nagpur. West Indies fast bowler Patrick ‘Patto’ Patterson’ destroyed the Indian batting lineup in his very first appearance on the Indian soil. The visitors batted first and could only manage 203 runs on the scoreboard. The Indians, in reply, were routed by Patterson who toppled the top order first and then wiped the lower middle order to return with the figures of 6/29 to crumble India for 193 runs and West Indies managed to a 10-run victory. 10. Kasun Rajitha (Sri Lanka) – 3/29: Sri Lankan cricketer Kasun Rajitha. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) Kasun Rajitha’s bowling figures might look little ordinary but the impact of it was very different. Sri Lanka came in with a bunch of inexperienced youngsters to play India at home. Surprisingly, both teams were welcomed by a green top at Pune. Favorites India were put into bat by Chandimal and what followed was one of the best spells bowled by a debutant. In seaming conditions, the inexperienced Rajitha toppled India’s top order in a matter of few overs. The highlight of his 3-wicket haul was the first over where he claimed two wickets in it to set the tone for Sri Lanka’s victory.

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10 Rookie bowlers who thumped India

5. Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh) – 5/28:

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