First Test wins are always special, as they are an important accomplishment in their cricketing journey. This gives teams the confidence to progress well in the longest format while improving their adaptability to different conditions.
If we take a closer look at most of the teams, they started relatively slow early on, but the first win would have given them solid momentum, and some teams began on a roll.
We have 12 Test-playing nations currently, and each of them has won at least one Test, with Ireland being the latest to join the act.
So in this piece, we will list down the number of Test matches it took for each team to win their first game.
Matches Taken by Each Team for First Test Win
Team | Matches Taken for First Win | Opponent (of their First Win) | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | 1 | England | 1877 |
England | 2 | Australia | 1877 |
Pakistan | 2 | India | 1952 |
Afghanistan | 2 | Ireland | 2019 |
West Indies | 6 | England | 1930 |
Ireland | 8 | Afghanistan | 2024 |
Zimbabwe | 11 | Pakistan | 1995 |
South Africa | 12 | England | 1906 |
Sri Lanka | 14 | India | 1985 |
India | 25 | England | 1952 |
Bangladesh | 35 | Zimbabwe | 2005 |
New Zealand | 45 | West Indies | 1956 |
Key Insights
8: The most recent side to win a Test match is Ireland, and they opened their account in the team’s 8th Test against Afghanistan. While these sides are young into their Test journey, they, along with Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, have fared comparatively better in white-ball formats as opposed to Tests.
1: Australia is the only Test team that won its first-ever match in the longest format in its maiden outing. It came against England at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. They are the most successful Test side, with over 400 wins, and the reigning World Test champions.
2: After suffering a defeat, England came strong in the very next match of the inaugural tour, played at the same venue. They, along with Afghanistan and Pakistan, are the three sides that won in their second Test after losing the first. Being the founders of cricket, England is the only side to have played in over 1000 Tests.
45: The inaugural World Test Championship winners, New Zealand, took the most number of Tests (45) to get off the mark in the longest format but have improved considerably as their journey went along.
This was the case for India as well as South Africa. Both teams struggled in their formative Test years, but since then have come back strongly, claiming the No. 1 spot in Test rankings along the way.
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