The most difficult thing for most of the cricketers is to perform exceptionally well in their debut series. When you make your debut, there are a lot of expectations, not only from the team but also from the family members, friends, and many others. There will be nerves as they haven’t been part of an international game. Most of the players don’t impress in their first series and rightly so.
But there are a few players who have managed to perform exceptionally well in their debut series. They have managed to perform in one match and the whole series and win the Man of the Series award on their ODI debut. Only five Indians have managed to win the Man of the Series award in their debut series. So let us have a look at the five Indians who have won the Man of the Series award in their debut series.
5. Brijesh Patel vs England in 1974
Brijesh Patel, the chairman of the IPL GC, is one of the five Indians to win the Man of the Series award in their debut series. Patel made his ODI debut against England in 1974. It was just a two-match ODI series but Patel impressed everybody with his batting.
Even though India lost both the matches, Patel scored 82 off just 78 balls in his debut game. In the second match, he was unfortunate to get run out but was looking good on 12. With 94 runs in two matches, he became the first Indian to win the Man of the Series award in the debut series.
4. Raman Lamba vs Australia in 1986
Raman Lamba was the second Indian to win the Man of the Series award in their debut ODI series. He won that award in a home series against Australia in 1986. In a six-match ODI series, Lamba scored 278 runs at an average of 55.60 with one century and two fifties to his name.
He was the highest run-scorer of the series as he helped India win the series 3-2. His knock of 64 off just 53 balls on his ODI debut helped India chase down 251 in just 41 overs. He deservedly won the Man of the Series award.
3. Vijay Bharadwaj in LG Cup in 1999
Vijay Bhardwaj joined the list of Indians to win the Man of the Series award in their debut series in 1999 in the LG Cup which consisted of South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Bhardwaj who was an all-rounder picked up 10 wickets in the 4 games at an average of 12.20.
He even scored 89 runs in 4 matches and was dismissed only once. Even though India didn’t win the Final of the LG Cup, Vijay Bhardwaj won the Man of the Series award.
2. KL Rahul vs Zimbabwe in 2016
KL Rahul who is currently in the Test squad also won the Man of the Series award in his debut series against Zimbabwe. Rahul got a chance because most of the first-choice players were rested for the series. In his debut ODI game, Rahul scored a century of 115 balls in a run-chase of 173.
In the whole series, he scored 196 runs and was dismissed only once. He was the leading run-scorer of the series and so got the Man of the Series award against Zimbabwe in 2016.
1. Suryakumar Yadav vs Sri Lanka in 2021
Suryakumar Yadav is the latest player to join the list of Indians to win the Man of the Series award in their debut series. Yadav who is an experienced domestic player got his ODI cap in the first ODI against Sri Lanka. He scored 31* off just 20 balls on his debut.
In his second game, he scored a fifty and in the last game, he again scored a 40 before getting dismissed. Yadav scored 124 runs in three games at an average of 62 which helped India win the series 2-1. He deservedly won the Man of the Series award in Sri Lanka.
