Ranking top 5 bowling performances in India on Test debut

India is a tough place to make a Test debut for a bowler and India are tough opponents to play the first game against. Be it in India or away, performing against one of the best batting sides ever is a task. It is a pressure test. 

However, there have been instances where bowlers have had the upper hand in their first match against India. Constellations align to bring them good luck and the bowlers shine with their hard work on helpful surfaces. There have also been instances where bowlers have run through the Indian batting lineup to help their teams win a Test easily.

Here are the top five best bowling figures on Test debut against India:

5. Todd Murphy (AUS)

In 2023, Australia visited India for a four-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy and their spin attack was pretty much similar to what England have brought in the 2024 tour. Nathan Lyon was their lead spinner with Matthew Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy as support spinners. Out of this Todd Murphy made an immediate impact on his Test debut.

Todd Murphy made his Test debut in the first game in Nagpur and came to bowl after Australia had made 177 in their first innings after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. Then India put on 400 with Rohit Sharma scoring 120, Ravindra Jadeja scoring 70 and Axar Patel making 84. However, amidst this run-fest, the bespectacled Murphy claimed 7/124 in 47 overs.