In the ongoing first Test between South Africa and New Zealand, Neil Brand, the current captain of the South African team, has made history by surpassing a record set by former Bangladesh captain Naimur Rahman Durjoy 24 years ago during Bangladesh’s inaugural Test.
Brand showcased an exceptional performance, claiming 6 wickets for 119 runs in the first innings with his skilled left-arm spin bowling. This achievement now places him as the record holder for the best figures on Test debut while simultaneously captaining the team.
Previously, Durjoy held the record with his remarkable 6-wicket haul for 132 runs against India in Bangladesh’s first Test at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka in November 2000. Durjoy was the second player after South Africa’s Aubrey Smith to achieve the feat of taking a five-wicket haul on Test debut while also leading the team, a feat accomplished back in 1889.
Brand, primarily known as a batting all-rounder, is currently at the helm of a second-string South African team, as the top players are engaged in the SA20 Twenty20 league.
The formidable New Zealand side posted a challenging total of 511 in the first innings, propelled by centuries from Kane Williamson and a double-century from Rachin Ravindra.
