From Billy Murdoch to Hashmatullah Shahidi – First Test Double Century For Each Country

As Hashmatullah Shahidi of Afghanistan etched himself into the record books, we focused on the first double century for each country in Test match cricket.

A Test double century has always been held highly and by achieving that special feat first, these players inspired their teammates and a generation of batsmen to follow from their respective countries.

The history of the game has seen many batsmen achieve the 200-mark on multiple instances, but only a handful can boast of the record of registering their country’s first Test double century.

Shahidi produced Afghanistan’s first Test double century.

Below is the list of batsmen to have scored the first double century for their country in Tests.

1. Billy Murdoch (Australia) 211 versus England in 1884

Billy Murdoch, the then captain of Australia, scored his country’s first double century when he reached the milestone against England in the Oval Test of the 1884 series.

Through his epic 211 in a drawn encounter, Murdoch also became Test cricket’s maiden Test double centurion.

2. Tip Foster (England) 287 runs versus Australia in 1903

Tip Foster of England was his country’s first Test double centurion. He achieved the feat playing against arch-rivals Australia in Sydney in late 1903.

Foster’s innings helped England take a giant lead in the first innings as the visitors eventually won the Test match by 5 wickets.

3. Aubrey Faulkner (South Africa) 204 versus Australia in 1910

South Africa produced their maiden double centurion during the Melbourne Test of the 1910-11 series when Aubrey Faulkner scaled the 200-mark.

Faulkner’s knock of 204 runs helped the visitors take a big lead over the hosts in the first innings. However, in a terrific fightback, Australia still came out victorious by 89 runs.

4. Clifford Roach (West Indies) 209 versus England in 1930

Clifford Roach of the West Indies became the region’s first Test double centurion when he produced an innings of 209 runs versus England in the 1930 Georgetown Test.

Roach’s outstanding knock helped West Indies achieve a memorable victory over their then colonial masters by 289 runs.

5. Martin Donnelly (New Zealand) 206 versus England in 1949

The Lord’s Test of the 1949 series saw Martin Donnelly record New Zealand’s first double century against England.

Donnelly batted 355 minutes for his 206 and allowed the visitors to surpass the English first-innings total in an ultimately drawn encounter.

6. Imtiaz Ahmed (Pakistan) 209 versus New Zealand in 1955

Pakistan’s Imtiaz Ahmed was his country’s first double centurion in Test cricket. He registered the milestone during the Lahore Test of the 1955 series against New Zealand.

Ahmed’s stand-out knock helped Pakistan take a huge lead over the Kiwis as they eventually won by 4 wickets.

7. Polly Umrigar (India) 223 versus New Zealand in 1955

Polly Umrigar registered India’s first Test double century in the 1955 Hyderabad Test against New Zealand.

Umrigar’s marathon effort of 223 runs deservingly put him in the record books. His knock helped India put the visitors under extreme pressure, though they ultimately managed to avoid an innings defeat and escape with a draw.

8. Brendon Kuruppu (Sri Lanka) 201* versus New Zealand in 1987

The Island nation of Sri Lanka had their first Test double centurion when Brendon Kuruppu scored an unbeaten 201 versus New Zealand in the 1987 Colombo Test.

A forgotten gem, Kuruppu’s landmark was a big moment for Sri Lanka cricket, which was still in its infancy at the time in Test match cricket.

9. Dave Houghton (Zimbabwe) 266 versus Sri Lanka in 1994

Dave Houghton, the former Zimbabwe batsman, was his country’s first Test double centurion.

Houghton produced a marathon innings of 266 runs versus Sri Lanka in the 1994 Bulawayo Test to achieve this feat.

Houghton’s 266 was also his career-highest Test score for Zimbabwe.

10. Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh) versus Sri Lanka in 2013

Bangladesh produced their first Test double centurion in 2013 – 13 years after their inaugural Test match – when Mushfiqur Rahim played a knock of 200 runs against Sri Lanka in the 2013 Galle Test.

Rahim might not have been the first to do so for his country had Mohammad Ashraful gone on to make a double and not be dismissed for 190 earlier in the innings.

11. Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan) 200* versus Zimbabwe in 2021 (Latest Test double century)

In a big moment for Afghanistan cricket, left-hand batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi became his country’s first Test double centurion in Abu Dhabi against Zimbabwe in March 2021.

Shahidi’s magnificent effort helped Afghanistan recover from the embarrassing loss in the earlier Test and make a strong comeback in the series.

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