30 November is a day that cannot be forgotten in cricket history. This was the day when Sir Don Bradman made his International debut for Australia. In the first Test match of the Australia-England Series at Brisbane, Bradman made his debut. The match was played between 30 November and 5 December. England had won the toss in this fixture and decided to bat first. They went on to score 521 runs in the first innings. It was then Australia’s turn to bat.

Made his debut aged 20

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As many as two Australian players were making their debut appearance in this Test match. While the first of them was a 20-year-old Don Bradman, the second debutant was a 45-year-old  left-arm spinner Bert Ironmonger. He thus became the oldest Australian to make his debut back then. However, both Bradman and Ironmonger could not make a significant impact in their debut match. Australia were in fact bowled out for 122 runs, in response to England’s 521.

#OnThisDay in 1928, one of the world’s greatest batsmen, Don Bradman, made his Test debut 🙌

He finished his career with 6996 runs in 52 Tests and a 🤯 average of 99.94! pic.twitter.com/TnHXlDp35L

— ICC (@ICC) November 30, 2019

Made a total of 19 runs in his debut game

Don Bradman made as many as 18 runs in debut innings in International cricket. Bradman came in to bat at number 7 and lasted only 40 balls. During his short stint at the crease, he managed to score four boundaries but failed to convert his start into big innings. In the second innings, Australia produced a worse show as they were bowled out for just 66 runs as Bradman contributed 1 run from 5 balls.

Who would have thought that this below average debutant would go on to break all sorts of bating records in International Cricket?

England had won the match by 675 runs- a brilliant effort from the visitors.

Scored a hundred in his second game

In the second Test match of the series, Don Bradman did not find a place in the XI after he failed to impress the team management in his first Test. However, England still managed to win the second Test by 8 wickets and the team was shuffled again for the third Test scheduled to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

It was here that Bradman got an opportunity yet again and he grabbed this opportunity with both hands. Bradman scored a gritty 79 in the first innings and then backed it up with his maiden hundred in the second innings (112). Courtesy, his brilliant performances and a combined team effort, Australia perhaps challenged England for the first time in the series but yet ended up losing the match by 3 wickets. However, in Bradman, they discovered a genius.

Was dismissed for a duck 7 times

Bradman who ended his career with a scarcely believable average of 99.94, was dismissed for a duck as many as 7 times in his career and even got out without scoring in his final innings in Test match cricket.