Sri Lankan pacer Milan Rathnayake made history by breaking a 41-year-old Test cricket record on his debut. Batting at number 9, he set a new record for the most runs scored in a Test match by a debutant in that position.
On Day 1 of ENG vs SL 1st Test in Manchester, Milan Rathnayake broke the record previously held by former Indian pacer Balwinder Sandhu.
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Despite early challenges for the Sri Lankan team, debutant Rathnayake, along with De Silva who scored 74 runs, made a significant impact with aggressive batting. Rathnayake contributed 72 runs, helping Sri Lanka surpass the 200-run mark and stabilize the innings.
When Milan Rathnayake came to bat, Sri Lanka had already lost 7 wickets. Sri Lanka was reduced to 113/7, with the pace duo of Chris Woakes (3/32) and Gus Atkinson (2/48) playing a key role in dismantling their top order.
Rathnayake scored 72 runs off 135 balls, achieving a significant milestone while batting at number 9. His innings was crucial in helping Sri Lanka reach a total of 236 runs.
By the virtue of his innings, Rathnayake set the record for the highest score by a debutant batting at number 9 in Test cricket, surpassing the previous record of 71 runs set by India's Balwinder Sandhu against Pakistan in Hyderabad in 1983.
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Here are the batsmen who scored the most runs on Test debut while batting at number 9:
Milan Rathnayake (Sri Lanka) – 72 runs (vs England, 2024)
Balwinder Sandhu (India) – 71 runs (vs Pakistan, 1983)
Darren Gough (England) – 65 runs (vs New Zealand, 1994)
Monde Jondeki (South Africa) – 56* runs (vs England, 1948)
After Sri Lanka were all out for 236, England’s opening duo of Ben Duckett and Daniel Lawrence provided a brisk start. England ended the day at 22/0. The hosts will be eager to build on this foundation on Day 2, continuing with their aggressive 'Bazball' style of play.