Good year for debutants

The left-arm spinner made his Test debut against West Indies in September and though he ended up on the losing side, he had a memorable game, picking a five-for. The 22-year-old took 5 for 135 in West Indies' first innings, including the wicket of double-centurion Kraigg Brathwaite. Later in the year, he became the first bowler in ODIs to take a hat-trick on debut as he spun Bangladesh to five-wicket win over Zimbabwe, finishing with 4 for 11.

Allrounder Neesham made his Test debut against India at Wellington in February and was out for 33 in New Zealand's first innings. However, he scored a brisk 137 in the second dig to help his team to a mammoth total and guide them to safe shores. Neesham followed that with a century in his second Test, the opposition this time being West Indies, becoming only the eighth cricketer to the record of scoring two centuries in his first two Tests.

On a lively Mirpur track, 19-year-old fast bowler Ahmed made everyone sit up and take notice as he decimated the Indian line-up with a five-wicket haul on ODI debut. Unable to cope with his pace, the visitors were bundled out for 105 in the second match of three-ODI series in 25.3 overs as Taskin took 5 for 28 in eight overs. It's another fact that Bangladesh fared worse after being shot down for a meagre 58.

In July, Buttler nearly became the second wicketkeeper-batsman from England to score a century on debut as he punished a listless Indian bowling attack to score 85 off 83 after coming in to bat at No 7 in the third Test at Southampton. He also took six catches in the match as England won by 266 runs to level the five-Test series 1-1.

At 34, Lumb became one of the oldest England cricketers to make an ODI debut in February against West Indies, and he celebrated the occasion with a century, the second Englishman and the ninth overall to do achieve the feat. The left-hander scored 106 off 117 but couldn't prevent his team from a 15-run defeat.

A spinner, Piet is something of a rarity in South African cricket. He picked a wicket with the first ball of his Test career to join 18 others to have achieved the feat. He made his debut against Zimbabwe in the one-off Harare Test and collected eight wickets on a spin-friendly track to lead his side to victory. His match figures of 8 for 152 in 49 overs will be seen in a positive light by a side that has failed to produce a world class spinner for a very long time.

Watched by his family and close friends from the stands, the 27-year-old van Zyl made a long awaited debut for South Africa against West Indies in December. Coming in to bat at No 6, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands to score a stroke-filled unbeaten 101 in South Africa's first innings of 552 for 5 declared. An innings victory in his maiden Test, in which he made a significant contribution, was the icing on the cake for van Zyl.

Rossouw had a horrible start to his international career with he four ducks in his first six ODIs including one on debut. However, his maiden Twenty20 international brought him much comfort. Rossouw's 50-ball 78 guided South Africa to a seven-wicket win over Australia at Adelaide Oval in November. He though survived a scare during the start of his innings when another debutant, Nathan Reardon, dropped him when he was batting on seven. However, he capitalised on the chance and made his mark.

Nyumbu discovered he could bowl an effective off-break by chance during his teenage years and then polished it to the effect that the Zimbabwe selectors took notice and gave him a chance against a top-ranked South African Test team in Harare. He immediately made impact, taking 5 for 157 to bowl out the opposition for 397. The 29-year-old, who slogged in domestic cricket for a decade, left viewers and critics impressed including the South African batsmen who praised him for his accuracy.

Drafted into the Pakistan Test side in place of the banned Saeed Ajmal, Yasir didn't let his country's leading bowlers absence be felt as he helped fashion a 221-run victory over Australia in Dubai. The leg-spinner, in conjunction with Zulfiqar Babar, left the Australian batsmen befuddled in picking seven wickets in his first Test. He then took five more in the next as Pakistan completed a 2-0 whitewash.

A former national javelin champion, Hazlewood has been a highly rated pace bowler in Australian domestic cricket. He made his Test debut against India at the Gabba and proved his backers right by picking a five-wicket haul in the first innings. His figures of 5 for 68 included the scalps of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni and R Ashwin. The 23-year-old also picked two wickets in the second innings, ending with match figures of 7 for 174 as Australia won the Test by four wickets.

Against the likes of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morke, Doolan scored a patient 89 to help Australia survive a testing phase after they had lost an early wicket in the Centurion Test in February. He missed out on a century on debut but his knock helped settle nerves that set Australia on course for a 281-run victory.

Henry, a medium-pacer, registered the third-best figures on ODI debut by a New Zealand bowler when he took 4 for 38 against India at Wellington in January to help his side seal a 4-0 series win. The 23-year-old has played six ODIs in 2014 and collected 19 wickets at a brilliant average of 15.26.

The off-spinner condemned West Indies to a 186-run defeat in the Kingston Test in June, finishing with match figures 8 for 188. He took 4 for 91 in the first innings and then demolished the hosts middle order to finish with 4 for 97 as the they were bowled out in 47.4 overs for 216, while chasing 403. In six Tests so far, besides taking 25 wickets, the 27-year-old also has two fifties to his name.