Representing your country is dream come true for any cricketer. Above all, reaching cricketing milestones at a young age not only attracts the eye of many spectators, but also warrants a player’s identity in the cricketing world. This article will bring you the youngest ever cricketers to achieve significant milestones in International Test cricket.
The youngest ever person to appear in a Test match was Hasan Raza of Pakistan. At a mere 14 years and 227 days, he made his debut against Zimbabwe at Faisalabad in 1996. On his debut, he made 27 runs in an eventual 10 wicket win for the hosts. Raza eclipsed a 27 year old record set by fellow countryman Mushtaq Mohammed (15y 124d) against West Indies at Lahore in 1959.
All time legend Sachin Tendulkar is the youngest Test cricketer for India. He made his debut against Pakistan at Karachi in 1989. At 16 years and 205 days, he stands fourth in the all-time list behind Hasan Raza, Mushtaq Mohommed and Aaqib Javed.
The record for the youngest ever to play against Sri Lanka in a Test match was Talha Jubair (16y 223d) of Bangladesh. He made his debut at P. Sara Oval in 2002.
Many Asians teams are known to have fielded players at a very young age. The youngest player outside of Asia was Derek Sealy (17y 122d) of West Indies. He made his debut against England at Barbados in 1930.
The youngest Test cricketer to appear for Sri Lanka is Sanjeewa Weerasinghe. The schoolboy cricketer from Isipathana College made his debut at the age of 17 years and 189 days against India in 1985. Less known, he played a solitary Test for the national side which incidentally was Sri Lanka’s first ever Test victory. Weerasinghe is 22nd youngest player in Test cricket.
The youngest to score a Test century was Mohammed Ashraful of Bangladesh. On his Test debut, he scored 114 against Sri Lanka at SSC in 2001. He broke a 40 year old record previously held by Mushtaq Mohammed (17y 78d) against India in 1961.
For Sri Lanka, the youngest to score a Test century was Asanka Gurusinha. He was 19 years and 187 days old when he made an unbeaten 116 against Pakistan at P. Sara Oval in 1986.
The youngest to score a double century is Javed Miandad (19y 140d). Miandad dazzled with 206 against New Zealand at Karachi in 1976. Mahela Jayawardene’s 242 against India at SSC in 1999 sealed his name as the youngest double centurion for Sri Lanka. He was 21 years and 273 days old.
Sir Garry Sobers (365 against Pakistan at Kingston in 1958) remains the youngest triple centurion in Test cricket history. At the time, he was a mere 21 years and 213 days old.
The youngest to take a 5 wicket haul in an inning is Nasim Ul Ghani (16y 303d). He grabbed 5 for 116 when Pakistan faced West Indies at Georgetown in 1958.
Paceman and World Cup winner, Ravindra Pushpakumara took 7 for 116 against Zimbabwe at Harare in 1994, becoming the youngest ever bowler to take a 5 wicket haul for Sri Lanka in Test cricket. The youngster was 19 years and 97 days old.
Enamul Haque Jr. of Bangladesh holds the record for being the youngest man to claim a 10 wicket match bag. His 12 for 200 against Zimbabwe at Dhaka in 2005 broke the previous record held by fast bowling legend Wasim Akram (18y 251d) who bagged 10 for 128 against New Zealand at Dunedin in 1985.
Bangladeshi Alok Kapali is the youngest to take a Test hat trick. He achieved this feat at the age of 19 years and 240 days against Pakistan at Peshawar in 2003.
The youngest ever captain to lead his side in Test match was Tatenda Taibu (20y 358d). He captained Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka at Harare in 2004. Angelo Mathews is the youngest Test captain for Sri Lanka (25y 279d). His captaincy debut came against Bangladesh at Galle in 2013.
At 17 years and 152 days, Parthiv Patel replaced injured Ajay Ratra against England at Nottingham in 2002 to become the youngest ever wicketkeeper in Test cricket, breaking the previous record held by Hanif Mohammed (17y 300d).
The next segment will bring you the youngest player records from ODIs, T20s and World Cups.
