Does Mark Wood hold the record for the best figures on IPL debut?

If you’re a fan of IPL cricket, then you must have heard about the outstanding performance of England’s fast bowler, Mark Wood, in his recent match for the Lucknow Super Giants against Delhi Capitals. The question on everyone’s mind is whether his figures were a record in IPL history or not.

Well, Brian McMaster from England asked this question, and the answer is quite interesting. Wood’s spell of 5 for 14 was indeed his best figures in all T20 cricket, and it was an incredible achievement for him. However, this was not his debut match in the IPL. He had played one match for the Chennai Super Kings in 2018, where he failed to take a wicket, and his four overs cost him 49 runs.

Now, if we talk about the best figures on debut in IPL, it’s the West Indian Alzarri Joseph, who holds this record. He took 6 for 12 for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad in 2019. Those figures are actually the best overall figures in IPL history. Wood, on the other hand, currently sits joint eighth on that list.

But there is still one notable record that Wood broke in his recent match. His figures of 5 for 14 were the best by an English bowler in the IPL, beating the previous record of 5 for 25 held by Dimitri Mascarenhas for Kings XI Punjab against Pune Warriors in Mohali in 2012.

So, overall, it was an outstanding performance by Mark Wood, and his figures were indeed impressive. Although he couldn’t break the record for the best figures on debut in IPL, he did manage to break the record for the best figures by an English bowler in IPL. It will be exciting to see how he performs in his upcoming matches.

There have been several impressive debuts in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years. Some of the best figures on debut in the IPL are:

• Andrew Tye (Gujarat Lions) – 5 wickets for 17 runs against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017.
• Fidel Edwards (Deccan Chargers) – 3 wickets for 16 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2009.
• Adam Zampa (Rising Pune Supergiant) – 6 wickets for 19 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.
• Alzarri Joseph (Mumbai Indians) – 6 wickets for 12 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019.
• Kamlesh Nagarkoti (Kolkata Knight Riders) – 2 wickets for 13 runs against Rajasthan Royals in 2020.

Nilu Banerjee from India asked if anyone had made a higher score in the IPL season curtain-raiser than Gaikwad’s.

Well, Gaikwad’s fantastic score of 92 was undoubtedly an incredible innings, but it was not the highest score in the opening match of an IPL season. In fact, it was the third-highest individual score in the IPL season curtain-raiser. The first match of the inaugural IPL season back in April 2008 was an unforgettable one, where Brendon McCullum’s outstanding unbeaten knock of 158 runs lit up the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for Kolkata Knight Riders against RCB. McCullum’s innings is still the second-highest individual score in IPL history.

Another remarkable performance in the opening match was by Rohit Sharma in 2015. He scored an unbeaten 98 runs for Mumbai Indians against KKR in Kolkata. So, although Gaikwad’s innings was excellent, it was not the highest score in the IPL season curtain-raiser.

It’s always thrilling to see new players entering the IPL and making a mark. Kyle Mayers certainly did that by hitting a fantastic 73 runs in his debut match for the Super Giants against Delhi Capitals in Lucknow at the weekend. Joseph Findlay from Barbados asked what’s the highest score on IPL debut?

Mayers’ debut innings was undoubtedly impressive, and he holds the record for the highest score on IPL debut since Brendon McCullum’s extraordinary unbeaten knock of 158 runs for KKR against RCB in Bangalore in the very first IPL match in 2008. However, two other players have made higher scores on IPL debut than Mayers’ 73. Both of them were Australians, and both also in the inaugural season of 2008.

Michael Hussey hit an unbeaten 116 runs for CSK against Kings XI in Mohali the day after McCullum’s blitz, and a few days later, Shaun Marsh made 84 not out for Kings XI against Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad. Therefore, Mayers’ innings was the fourth-highest individual score on IPL debut and the highest since the first season.

Devang Patel from India asked an interesting question about Mayank Agarwal’s Test centuries. Agarwal has scored four Test centuries, and all of them have been made on home soil. Devang was curious to know about the most centuries scored by a batter without any away from home.

At present, three batters hold the record for scoring the most Test centuries on home soil without any away from home. The first is the former England captain Stanley Jackson, who scored five centuries against Australia. The second is India’s Chandu Borde, and the third is the current Australian batter Travis Head. However, we might see Head escaping this list as he is set to play in the Ashes series in England later this year.

Coming back to Agarwal, he is one of five batters who have scored four Test centuries, all of them at home. The other four players on this list are Joe Hardstaff Jr. from England, Guy Whittall from Zimbabwe, and the Sri Lankan duo of Roshan Mahanama and Arjuna Ranatunga.

Jamie Lewcock from Ireland wants to know the lowest highest score in a completed Test innings. The lowest highest score in a completed Test innings is 7, and it happened during the South Africa vs. England match at Edgbaston in 1924. South Africa was bowled out for just 30 runs, and the highest individual score was only 7, which was made by their captain Herbie Taylor. Another instance of a completed Test innings with 11 single-figure scores is India’s 36 against Australia in Adelaide in 2020-21, with Mayank Agarwal’s 9 being the highest score. While there have been several cases of ten batters failing to reach double figures in a Test innings, such as Australia’s 35 for 8 at Old Trafford during the 1953 Ashes series.