The year 2024 has been exciting for Indian cricket. Many new cricketers made their Test debut. India started the year with a win in Cape Town. But things got tough later. India lost 0-3 to New Zealand at home. This hurt their chances in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. Key players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and Mohammed Shami were unavailable. India needed fresh faces. Let’s look at the new Indian cricketers who made their Test debut in 2024.
1. Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar got his chance against England. He replaced Virat Kohli for the series. Patidar made his debut in the second Test. He scored 32 and 9 in the match. In the series, he scored 63 runs in six innings. His average was 10.5. After this, Patidar didn’t return to the Test squad.
2. Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel debuted in the third Test against England in Rajkot. He impressed from the start, scoring 46 runs. His best performance came in Ranchi. He scored 90 in the first innings and 39 not out in the second. Jurel has played five innings and scored 201 runs. His average is an excellent 50.25.
3. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut with Jurel in Rajkot. He is known for his aggressive batting. Sarfaraz made 62 in his first innings and 68 not out in the second. He scored a brilliant 150 runs against New Zealand in Bengaluru for his first Test century. But India lost the match despite his effort.
4. Akash Deep
Akash Deep joined the Indian squad for the series against England. He debuted in the fourth Test. He took important wickets like Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope. Akash has taken 10 wickets in eight innings. He is also in the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
5. Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal, a young left-hander from Karnataka, made his Test debut in the fifth match against England. He scored 65 runs off 103 balls in his first innings. In his second Test match, played in Perth, he got out for a duck in the first innings.
6. Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy, an all-rounder, made his debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia. Reddy had a great 2024. He made his T20I debut against Bangladesh after strong performances in the IPL. In the three T20I matches, Reddy scored 90 runs and took three wickets.
7. Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana debuted in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Perth. Rana had a great IPL season with Kolkata Knight Riders. He took 19 wickets in 13 matches. His IPL form earned him a spot in the Test team. He took 2/24 in his debut match.
Conclusion
2024 has brought many changes to Indian cricket. New talents like Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, and Sarfaraz Khan have shown their potential. The future of Indian cricket looks bright. Fans can expect more exciting performances in the years to come.
Also Read: IPL 2025: BCCI Confirms Start Date, Schedule For Next Three Seasons
