Cricket has a long habit of fast-tracking teenage talent into international cricket. Some teenagers have handled the leap to One-Day Internationals with maturity beyond their years; others were fast-tracked and later found the step up brutal.
Here is the list of the youngest ODI debutants:
1. Hasan Raza (Pakistan):
Age at ODI debut: 14 years, 233 days
Hasan Raza was fast-tracked into Pakistan’s international setup in 1996 and is remembered as one of the youngest international cricketers ever. He made headlines by debuting extremely young on 30 October 1996 against Zimbabwe at Quetta (the same tour saw his Test debut a few days earlier).
Hasan Raza’s very early elevation generated later scrutiny and discussion about age-verification in cricket but his place in record lists as one of the all-time youngest is widely reported.
2. Mohammad Sharif (Bangladesh):
Age at ODI debut: 15 years, 116 days
Mohammad Sharif, a right-arm medium-fast bowler from Narayanganj, was brought into Bangladesh’s side as a teenager and made his ODI debut on 7 April 2001 against Zimbabwe at Harare. He went on to play Tests and a handful of ODIs across the early 2000s, and is often listed among the youngest players to have represented a Test/ODI nation.
3. Gulsan Jha (Nepal):
Age at ODI debut: 15 years, 212 days
Gulshan (often spelled Gulsan in profiles) Jha is a Nepalese all-rounder who made his ODI debut on 17 September 2021 against USA at Al Amerat. His early introduction placed him among the youngest ODI debutants in the 21st century and he has since become one of the promising youngsters of Nepal, producing notable all-round performances for his country.
4. Sachin Tendulkar (India)
Age at ODI debut: 16 years, 238 days
Sachin Tendulkar made his ODI debut as a 16-year-old during India’s 1989 tour of Pakistan (on 18 December 1989 at Gujranwala). While he is primarily remembered for his record-breaking career rather than his youth at debut, his 1989 introduction is often quoted when people discuss the youngest players who had long international careers. Sachin Tendulkar later went on to set numerous batting records and became one of the most celebrated figures of cricket.
A few other notable very young ODI debutants
5. Ramveer Rai (UAE):
He made his only ODI appearance in the 2004 Asia Cup at a young age (16 years, 229 days) and he was the youngest cricketer to play for UAE at that time.
6. Rohit Kumar Paudel (Nepal):
He debuted at the age of 15 years and 335 days on 3 August 2018 against Netherlands and with this, he became the fourth youngest ODI debutant.
Should cricketers be allowed to debut at such a young age or should there be an age limit? What is your take on this matter? Do let us know your views.
