The Indian Test cricket odyssey in the 21st century has taken them from one milestone to another. Among the many Test match and series wins, there have been some spectacular debut performances. Some of these players stood the test of time to become all-time legends, while others had a limited time in the Test setup.

To rank the performances is never an easy task, for it means that one or the other brilliant effort misses out. More so, this is a list of only top five efforts. We begin with giving honourable mention to those who missed out: these include Rohit Sharma’s brilliant 177 against the West Indies, Virender Sehwag’s blazing hundred against South Africa, Munaf Patel’s impeccable effort against England, and Mayank Agarwal’s sturdy debut against Australia.

5 Ravichandran Ashwin

3-81 and 6-47 v West Indies, 2011

India’s most successful off-spinner began his run a decade back at Delhi. His path had been opened up due to Harbhajan Singh’s exclusion after the disastrous England tour. And he ensured that he would become an India regular in his very first game. He was impressive against a West Indies line-up including of Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Marlon Samuels.

After West Indies had managed to take a lead of 95 runs in the first innings, Ashwin returned in the third innings to deflate the tourists with a 6-47. He got rid of the dangerous Chanderpaul, and Bravo. West Indies were bowled out for 180, and India managed to chase down the target with an improved batting performance in the second dig.

4 Amit Mishra

5-71 and 2-35 v Australia, 2008

Going into the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008/09, India were without their skipper and had just about managed to stave off a strong Australia in the first Test. A good performance would have worked wonders for Amit Mishra, given that Anil Kumble was close to retirement, and a leg-spinner post would be up for grabs soon.

And he got himself off to the best possible start. India scored 469 in the first innings, and Australia never got out of Mishra’s web after that. He got Michael Clarke, a fine player of spin, in both innings, his seven wickets ensuring a strong India win. This result would set the way for the first Australia series defeat since Ashes 2005.

3 Washington Sundar

3-89, 62, 1-80, 22 v Australia, 2021

A landmark performance in one of the greatest Test series ever played. Everything about the game has a mythical touch to it, and Sundar’s presence only adds to the narrative. He had last played for India in 2017, when he was picked over the regular India spinner Kuldeep Yadav, and was part of a line-up in which some players might not have been considered for a red-ball India ‘A’ tour, and was playing against a side which was extremely strong in their own backyard.

He did more than well, bamboozling the Australian batters with the ball, and taking on the Australian bowling with his no-look master shots. On the final day, he partnered with Pant in the dying stages of the game, to lead India to a memorable win.

2 Shreyas Iyer

105 and 65 v New Zealand, 2021

Iyer looked the most comfortable of all the Indian batters on a slow wicket, and did the perfect rescue act in both the innings. His knock in the first innings ensured that India had a good measure of the game for the first three days, before his partnership with Ashwin in the second innings helped them to a safe total.

He got India all but to the line. On the way, he also became the only India player to score a hundred and fifty on debut.

1 Shikhar Dhawan

187 v Australia, 2013

It is fair to say that Australia of 2013 were not the Australia of 2003, but they were still a very good side. Although trailing 2-0, they managed to get off to a good start in Mohali, and posted 408 in the first innings. India responded and in style. Dhawan teamed up with Murali Vijay to add a first-wicket partnership of 289 runs. He scored a 174-ball 187 before perishing. But his Sehwagesque performance had completely deflated the Australia setup. They would go on to lose the game by six wickets, and be eventually whitewashed 4-0 in the series.

It was the manner in which he got these runs (33 fours and two sixes) that took the fight out of the Australia bowling after their batters had given them some hope.