5 Test series with maximum number of debutants

4. 21 players – England in South Africa Test Series, 1888/89

This series marked the debut of the South African team at the international level. Back in 1888, Major R.G. Warton, a retired British army officer, was living in Cape Town and was involved with the local cricketing culture. Some locals at the time had proposed Warton to bring a team from England to play some cricket matches in South Africa. 

Warton hired some English first-class cricketers to come along with him to play the series in South Africa. Out of the several first-class matches which were played on this tour, two matches were against a team which was the representative of South Africa. These two matches were later called as international Test matches, but when they were played, it was like any other first-class match. This series also became South Africa’s first international series. 

Both the teams didn’t have players with international experience. Only a few English players had played international Test cricket before that. But, none of the South African players had as the series saw 21 debutants. The English team won the Test series 2-0.