5 debutants who had a brilliant start to their career against India

2. Michael Clarke- 2004

There is a reason why Michael Clarke calls India his ‘second home’. Clarke made his ODI debut against India; he secured his first series whitewash as captain against India (4-0 in 2011-12); his highest Test score (329 at the SCG in 2012) has come against India; his best bowling figured (6-9) have come against the Men in Blue. Hell! He even scored his debut Test hundred against the Men in Blue.

Yep! That famous 2004 Border Gavaskar Trophy where Australia finally breached what Steve Waugh used to call the ‘final frontier’- beat India in India. It was in this series that a young 23-year-old gave cricket fans a sneak peek into the future of Australia’s middle-order by showing his precocious skills against high-quality spin bowling.

It is worth remembering that Clarke was only drafted into the side due to an injury to Ricky Ponting.  But the right-hander showed remarkable skills and composure and, for once, made everyone forget that the Aussies were missing a player of the calibre of Ponting.

Clarke scored a brilliant 151 off 248 balls in what was a masterclass in how to tackle top-class spinners like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in his maiden innings at Bangalore and backed it up with a couple of half-centuries in Nagpur to help Australia take an unassailable 0-2 lead against India.

Clarke finished as the second-highest run-scorer- 400 runs in eight innings at 55.40- and as if he hadn’t hurt India enough with his bat, he landed a final blow- this time with the bowl- as he spun his way to six-wicket-haul in Mumbai.