Sunil Ambris becomes the first ever Test player to bag a golden duck on debut by hit-wicket

Windies batsman Sunil Ambris had an unforgettable Test debut at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on the first day against New Zealand. He was dismissed hit-wicket off the first ball of his Test career which agonisingly cut short his dream to play a memorable knock for his country. However, it was also the first ever instance in the history of Test cricket when a debutant was dismissed hit-wicket for a golden duck.

Though Ambris is the 11th cricketer overall to get out in that fashion on his Test debut. NV Lindsay of South Africa was the first ever batsman to be given out hit-wicket on debut when he scored just six runs against Australia way back in 1921. There are also as many as three Indians in the list which include BK Kunderan, DA Sardesai and S Madan Lal. Interestingly, last time a debutant to be dismissed via hit-wicket in whites was Carlton Baugh who is also from the Caribbean nation.

HS Chang is the other player from West Indies in the list who embarrassed himself during the first Test match of his career. He had scored only 2 runs against India in Chennai in 1979 when he was given out in a unique way.

Hit-wicket on Test debut

Sunil Ambris also became the tenth batsman to be dismissed on duck via hit-wicket in the history of the five-day format. He is also the fourth West Indian to do so with VA Holder, DA Murray and DL Murray being the other three. Steve Waugh of Australia was the last batsman to be dismissed by hit-wicket against India in Brisbane in 2003. He had bagged a four-ball duck during his short stay at the crease.

VL Manjrekar and Hanumant Singh are the two Indians in the list who have been dismissed in such fashion on duck in Test cricket among which the former was out on the first ball of his innings. Also, it was the first time when New Zealand has dismissed a batsman via hit-wicket on debut in red-ball cricket.

Duck by hit-wicket in Tests

The incident happened in the 30th over of the Windies innings when Ambris nudged a short ball from Neil Wagner to the on-side. But in doing so, he went deep in his crease and the momentum took him a little further backwards which ended up him trodding back onto his stumps. The debutant was shell-shocked but had no option but to walk back towards the dressing room.