1943
Mushtaq Mohammad, the youngest Test player for Pakistan till date, was born on this day. Mushtaq was only 15 years and 124 days old when he made his debut against West Indies in Lahore in 1958-59. Next year, against India in Delhi, he became the youngest Test centurion 17 years and 82 days. He was also an effective leg spinner who averaged under 30 in Test cricket. As a captain, his most memorable victory came against West Indies in Trinidad in 1976-77, when he scored 121 and 56 ith the bat and bowled 5 for 28 and 3 for 69.
1970
Marvan Atapattu, the Mr.Dependable of Sri Lankan cricket, was born on this day. But Atapattu had a forgettable debut followed by a series of low scores. He had only 1 run in his first six innings. But selectors kept confidence in him and he was in the team. Atapattu scored six double hundreds in his career, the first one coming against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1996-97. His off field controversy about calling Sri Lankan selectors “puppets headed by a joker” cut short his career.
1974
Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge made their Test debut together in the first Test between agaisnt India in Bangalore. Viv was not so impressive as he was shown the door at 4 and 3 by Bhagwath Chandrasekhar in both the innings. But Greenidge made a mark by scoring 93 and 107. He became the first West Indies cricketer to make a hundred on Test debut overseas.
