In the long and illustrious history of Test cricket, Australia stands out as the most successful team. With an impressive tally of 383 wins in 809 matches, the team from Down Under has spawned many legendary cricketers. Not only in the longest format, but they have also excelled in the 50 overs format as well. The country has always been privileged in terms of terrific cricketers throughout the history of the game.
The ODI format has been among the most successful formats for the Australian team. Let’s have a look at top three highest Individual scores by Australian players on ODI debut:
1. 112 –Phil Hughes vs Sri Lanka at Melbourne in 2013
Australian cricket had high hopes for Phillip Hughes, who passed away a week before his 26th birthday after being hit by a bouncer. When he became the youngest player to score a century in a Pura Cup/Sheffield Shield final, he was one of the most promising young players in the game. Hughes made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2013 where he went on to score 112 runs.
2. 94 –Phil Jacques vs South Africa at Docklands in 2006
Another Australian left-handed opener who had to wait for his opportunity was Phil Jaques. However, once he was given a regular position, he did not take it lying down. He could only be stopped by a severe back ailment that limited his movement; regrettably, it required three operations and resulted in the termination of his contract in 2009. It was in his debut match against South Africa where Jacques went on to score a gritty 94 but eventually was unlucky not to complete his hundred.
3. 82 –Peter Handscomb vs Pakistan at Perth in 2017
There are very few batters who play spin well and get drafted in the squad whenever any team is playing in spin friendly conditions. One such batter is Peter Handscomb, who is a middle order batter, with a unique ability to play spin as well as seam bowling equally well. In his debut match against Pakistan at Perth in 2017, Handscomb went on to score 82 runs which proved to be crucial in the match for Australia.