# Kapil Dev Stands as Sole Indian Legend Among Elite Bowlers Striking on the Opening Ball of a Test Series

> Striking on the very first delivery of a new Test series is one of cricket's rarest achievements. India's legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev remains the sole Indian bowler to accomplish this milestone, striking against South Africa in Durban back in 1992.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-08-15 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/maicha-ki-shuruati-bola-para-viketa-urane-vale-diggajon-men-kapil-dev-hi-ekamatra-bharatiya-khilari-17002 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Kapil Dev, Test Cricket, Cricket Records, Indian Cricket, Mitchell Starc, James Anderson, Pace Bowling

Taking a wicket on the very first delivery of a Test match immediately injects incredible drama into a game, but striking on the opening ball of an entire Test series is an extraordinarily rare feat in international cricket. Across more than 140 years of Test cricket history, only a handpicked group of elite fast bowlers have managed to accomplish this unique distinction. From an Indian perspective, this milestone carries special pride because, despite producing generations of world-class seamers, legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev remains the sole Indian bowler in history to achieve this milestone. Kapil Dev established this remarkable record against South Africa at Durban in 1992, and no Indian bowler has been able to replicate it since.

## Kapil Dev Made History at Kingsmead in Durban
This historic moment unfolded on November 13, 1992, when India faced South Africa in the first Test of the series at Kingsmead, Durban. The series held immense significance for world cricket, as South Africa was making its return to Test cricket following a prolonged international ban. With high anticipation surrounding the series opener, Kapil Dev was handed the brand-new red ball for India. Demonstrating exquisite seam position and immediate swing, Kapil Dev dismissed South African opening batsman Stephen Cook on the very first ball of the series, sending shockwaves through the Kingsmead crowd.

Even though Kapil Dev was in the twilight phase of his illustrious international career, his skill and control with the new ball remained lethal. Dismissing Stephen Cook immediately etched Kapil Dev's name into an exclusive global club of fast bowlers. In the decades following this milestone, Indian cricket saw the rise of iconic fast bowlers including Jawagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, all of whom picked up hundreds of Test wickets. However, none of these formidable seamers managed to repeat Kapil Dev's feat of striking on the very first ball of a new Test series.

## The Origins of the Milestone in the 1930s
The historical precedent for striking on the first ball of a Test series began back in 1933. New Zealand fast bowler F. T. Badcock became the first player in Test history to register this rare accomplishment. On March 24, 1933, as New Zealand took on England in the series opener, Badcock delivered the first ball of the match and promptly dismissed Herbert Sutcliffe, one of England's most dependable and legendary opening batsmen. Sutcliffe's immediate departure made headlines across the cricketing world due to his stature at the time.

Just three years later, in 1936, Australian fast bowler E. L. McCormick achieved the same rare milestone. Playing against England in the opening Test at Brisbane, McCormick opened the bowling attack and dismissed English batsman T. S. Worthington on his very first delivery. Following McCormick's strike in 1936, world cricket witnessed a dry spell lasting more than 56 years, during which no bowler across any nation managed to take a wicket on the opening ball of a Test series until Kapil Dev broke the drought in Durban in 1992.

## Pedro Collins: The Sole Bowler to Achieve the Feat Twice
Among all the fast bowlers on this exclusive list, West Indies seamer P. T. Collins (Pedro Collins) stands out with an unmatched achievement. Collins is the only bowler in international cricket history to take a wicket on the opening ball of a Test series on two separate occasions. What makes his record even more astonishing is that both occurrences came against the exact same opponent and involved the exact same opening batsman.

Collins first accomplished this feat on December 8, 2002, during a Test match against Bangladesh in Dhaka, when he dismissed Bangladeshi opener Hannan Sarkar on the first ball of the series. Roughly eighteen months later, in 2004, when Bangladesh toured the West Indies for another Test series, Collins took the new ball for the opening match and once again dismissed Hannan Sarkar on the very first delivery. This remarkable coincidence linked Hannan Sarkar and Pedro Collins in cricket folklore forever.

## Asian Speedsters Who Joined the Exclusive Club
Besides Kapil Dev, several prominent fast bowlers from other Asian nations have earned their places on this historic roster. On May 18, 2007, during the first Test between Bangladesh and India in Chittagong, Bangladeshi pace bowler Mashrafe Mortaza bowled the opening delivery of the series and dismissed Indian opening batsman Wasim Jaffer. With that strike, Mortaza became the first Bangladeshi bowler to achieve the landmark.

In 2009, Pakistan's prodigiously talented young fast bowler Mohammad Amir added his name to the list during the first Test against New Zealand, dismissing Kiwi opener Tim McIntosh on the first ball of the series. Later in 2017, Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal achieved the feat against India at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. In a match heavily affected by weather conditions, Lakmal dismissed Indian opener KL Rahul on the first delivery of the Test, creating one of the most talked-about moments of that series.

## Modern Era Landmarks by Anderson, Starc, and Muzarabani
The tradition of opening-ball wickets has continued into the modern era of Test cricket. In 2019, England's legendary fast bowler James Anderson achieved the feat against South Africa at Centurion by dismissing South African opener Dean Elgar on the first ball of the match. Anderson's early strike set the tone for an intense battle between the two sides.

Two years later, on December 8, 2021, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc produced an iconic Ashes moment at Brisbane. On the very first delivery of the high-stakes Ashes series against England, Starc swung the ball into English opener Rory Burns and bowled him around his legs. In addition to these marquee names, Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani also achieved this rare feat, securing his spot alongside elite fast bowlers from New Zealand, Australia, West Indies, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England.

## The Lasting Legacy of Kapil Dev's Achievement
Taking a wicket on the first ball of a Test series requires an exceptional combination of immediate rhythm, pitch reading, seam movement, and nerves of steel. In Indian cricket history, Kapil Dev's 1992 strike in Durban stands as an unblemished landmark that has withstood the test of time for over three decades. While India has been blessed with world-class seamers across generations, Kapil Dev's unique entry in this global record book remains unmatched, reinforcing his legendary stature in world cricket.

## What this means for you
**For Cricket Fans:** This historical record offers a fresh perspective on the rare milestones of Test cricket, shedding light on the precision of elite pace bowlers and highlighting Kapil Dev's unique place in Indian bowling history.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who is the only Indian bowler to take a wicket on the first ball of a Test series?
Kapil Dev is the sole Indian bowler to accomplish this feat, taking a wicket on the first ball against South Africa in Durban in 1992.

### 2. Who was the first bowler in Test cricket history to take a wicket on the first ball of a series?
New Zealand's F. T. Badcock was the first, dismissing England's Herbert Sutcliffe on the opening ball of the series on March 24, 1933.

### 3. Which bowler has taken a wicket on the first ball of a Test series on two separate occasions?
West Indies fast bowler Pedro Collins is the only bowler to do it twice, dismissing Bangladesh opener Hannan Sarkar on the first ball in both 2002 and 2004.

### 4. How long was the drought between E. L. McCormick's strike in 1936 and Kapil Dev's in 1992?
After Australia's E. L. McCormick struck in 1936, there was a gap of over 56 years until Kapil Dev broke the spell in 1992.

### 5. Which modern bowlers have achieved this milestone in recent years?
In modern times, England's James Anderson (2019), Australia's Mitchell Starc (2021 Ashes), and Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani have achieved this distinction.

### 6. Which Indian batsman was dismissed by Suranga Lakmal on the first ball of a Test match in 2017?
Sri Lanka's Suranga Lakmal dismissed Indian opener KL Rahul on the first ball of the rain-affected Kolkata Test at Eden Gardens in 2017.

## Inspiration & Lessons
**Key Inspiration & Lessons:**

- **Career Stage Doesn't Limit Excellence:** Kapil Dev struck late in his career, proving that experience and dedication remain lethal assets regardless of age.
- **Capitalize on the Opening Moment:** Striking on the very first delivery highlights the importance of peak concentration right from the first second.
- **Consistency Breaches Rare Heights:** Pedro Collins achieving the exact milestone twice demonstrates how technical repeatability leads to historic outcomes.

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