Of debuts and returns

25 The average age of Afghanistan’s Testplaying XI in Bengaluru. At 25.11 years, the team is the youngest ever side to appear in a country’s inaugural Test match. The previous record of 25.93 years was held by the Bangladesh side during its maiden Test against India in Dhaka in November 2000.

Note: For the record, the average age of the ICC World XI that played a Test match in Sydney in October 2005 against Australia was 30.06 years. Brian Lara was the oldest player at 36 years, 165 days, while captain Graeme Smith was the youngest in the side at 24 years, 255 days.

17 The age of Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman when he made his Test debut against India in Bengaluru. At 17 years, 78 days, he is became the joint 15th youngest to make his Test debut. However, he is the youngest ever to appear in a country’s maiden Test match. Previously, Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad at 17 years, 300 days was the youngest during his country’s inaugural Test match in October 1952.

0 The number of firstclass matches played by Mujeeb Ur Rahman before his Test debut in Bengaluru. He became the only sixth player since 1900 to make his firstclass debut in a Test match. Prior to 1900, there had been 28 instances (21 South Africans, five Englishmen and two Australians) of players making their firstclass debut in a Test match. But then, firstclass and Test cricket was in its infancy stage at that time.

Note: Mujeeb Ur Rahman is still active.

87 The number of Test matches that Dinesh Karthik missed when he made a comeback to the Indian side against Afghanistan in Bengaluru. Only six other players have missed more matches than Karthik in Test cricket history. However, Karthik has now missed most Tests than any other Indian. Incidentally, he last appeared in a Test way back in January 2010 at Chittagong.

Note: Karthik and Plunkett are still active.

Note: Apart from Arun Lal, all players are still active.

171.4 The number of overs taken to achieve a result in the recent Bengaluru Test match between India and Afghanistan. It is now the shortest ever completed Test match on Indian soil. Previously, the Indiaaustralia Test in Mumbai in November 2004 was the lowest, lasting 202.1 overs.

Note: Only one other Test match in Asia was shorter than the Bengaluru Test. In October 2002, only 1485 overs were bowled in the Test match between Pakistan and Australia played in Sharjah, a neutral venue.