Top 5 great Test debuts in 2018

Cricket, when played in whites, is at it's imperious best and the year 2018 was the year of that, the year of Test cricket. It produced some of the most competitive Test series in recent years. It was a year when many players debuted and relished a dream year.

The year 2018 has brought hopes to Test cricket's revival. Those who debuted in this year in Test cricket proved to be a massive difference in many competitions. The debutants played like seasoned cricketers and left everyone in bewilderment. Their skills shined brighter than many established cricketers.

So, since we are at the end of 2018, in this segment let us have a look at top 5 Test debuts.

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5) Lungi Ngidi

The newest South African bowling talent that took everyone by surprise earlier this year was Lungi Ngidi. When he was given his Test cap at Centurion in January he ensured that he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He picked up his first 5-for in a Test match against India and bundled them out for a mere 151!

In a total of four Test matches, Lungi has picked up 15 wickets at a brilliant average of 19.53. He has proven to be the natural born successor of Morne Morkel who retired earlier this year. He along with Rabada and Philander make a deadly trio of fast bowlers who can rattle any opposition, especially in their home conditions.

Also for his successful performances in shorter formats, he has been picked up by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2019. He is surely a youngster who has shown great potential.

With the likes of Dale Steyn still around in the South African dressing room, a young lad like Lungi Ngidi will learn from him and hopefully develop himself into a proper bowler in Test matches.

4) Rishabh Pant/ Ben Foakes

Two debutant wicketkeeping-batsmen who shined brightly this year were India's Rishabh Pant and England's Ben Foakes. Two very different sorts of player in attitude and approach towards the game, but both of them have shown great promise.

Rishabh Pant came into the Test arena after a horrible batting display from Dinesh Karthik in England in the first two Tests. Naturally, an aggressive player Rishabh Pant scored a belligerent century(114) at the Oval against England in the fifth Test match. He also became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test ton in overseas conditions.

Pant proved his mettle both as a wicketkeeper and as a batsman in 2018. He recently took a world record 11 catches in a match at Adelaide Oval and has equalled legendary Syed Kirmani's record of most no of catches in a Test series against Australia by taking 15 catches in two matches and with still two more matches to go.

He then missed out on centuries against the West Indies in home conditions but ended up scoring quick half-centuries.

Ben Foakes, at the same time, scored an invaluable century against Srilanka in his debut Test match at Galle, the first Test match of the series. He replaced Johnny Bairstow's who was injured at the time playing football.

When England looked in dire straits Ben Foakes came out and made a gritty Test ton of 107(202), one of the finest by an English batsman in subcontinent conditions. He followed it up with a quick half-century in the second Test at Pallekele.

He is surely a great find for England and there is no doubt he is going to add more pressure to Bairstow and Butler if they don't perform well in upcoming series'.

3) Prithvi Shaw

Every decade the Indian cricket seems to find a young batting prodigy who is up and ready to take on any bowling attack. Prithvi Shaw is probably the newest addition in the great pantheon of Indian batting.

He scored centuries similar to his idol Sachin Tendulkar on his debut in both Duleep Trophy as well as Ranji Trophy. He then went onto to lead the U-19 side to a world cup victory under the mentorship of legendary Rahul Dravid.

He was picked for the last two Test matches in England tour, but despite not getting a chance he waited until his chance came and when it came he grabbed it with both his hands.

On a Test match debut, he scored a brilliant 134 against West Indies at Saurashtra cricket stadium and then followed it up with a half-century in the second Test match.

In the ongoing tour of India versus Australia, he got injured and was sent back home to recover. With the high-class transition into the toughest format of the game and the ability to score runs quickly, there is no doubt that he is future of Indian batting.

2) Sam Curran

The Surrey lad burst onto the international screen with his impressive all-around performance on his debut against India at Edgbaston. His contribution with the bat was the difference between the two teams in the first match of the series.

He destroyed Indian top order with the ball by picking three wickets in just eight balls. He scored 24 and 63 in 1st & 2nd innings respectively. He picked up a total of five wickets in the match.

He was dropped for the Trent Bridge Test but got a place in the side in the fourth Test match at Southampton where once again he proved to be the difference between the two sides. He scored 78 and 46 in respective innings and also picked up two wickets, one in each. He was adjudged man of the series for his all-round contribution.

His exploits didn't just stop in his home country but extended to subcontinent too. He scored a brilliant 48 in the first Test match at Galle and then backed it up with explosive 64, garnished with six mighty sixes in the second Test match at Pallekele.

He has scored over400 runs and has picked up 14 wickets as of now. No other English left-arm quick has taken 100 Test wickets, but at the pace with which Sam is moving forward, he undoubtedly has the first chance of achieving the rare feat.

1) Jasprit Bumrah

Everyone who saw Jasprit Bumrah with that unique action, bowling those skiddy nippers and toe crushers might have made up their mind that he was going to be the future of Indian bowling in shorter formats. But can Jasprit Bumrah become an effective Test bowler? It was the question that haunted everyone

Bumrah was handed over the Test cap in an all-important South Africa tour earlier this year in January. His inclusion in the Indian team brought a change in Indian cricket.

Along with Shami, Ishant, Umesh and Bhuvi who all have different characteristics provided the strength and the depth in Bowling attack For the first time, the Indian bowling unit had all the ammunition to rattle oppositions in their own backyard.

Bumrah being an intelligent cricketer saw overnight success in South Africa and also in the following tour of England. He took his maiden fifer in Johannesburg and thus a started a promising Test career.

He went to England and because of injury, he had to wait for his turn until the third Test match in Trent Bridge. Not only did he pick up his second fifer but also shut down his critics who had sidelined him in England.

He played a crucial part in the lone win India had on that England tour when he picked up a dangerous partnership that was built by Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes.

He has been the most effective and impressive bowler for India in the Australian tour so far and has undoubtedly become the captain's, go-to man.

He has picked up a total of 39 wickets in just eight matches that he has played in this calendar year and there is absolutely no doubt that he is going to be the one bowler to watch out for in the coming years.