Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar made their Test debuts within 13 months of each other in 1989-90 and went on to become two of the modern greats.
Lara came into an all-conquering West Indies team but his career - including several unsuccessful stints as captain - co-incided with their fall from grace.
The Trinidad left-hander with the high backlift and sweet range of strokes defied a declining team to produce some of the finest innings in history and twice set Test record scores.
His 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994 remains the first-class record and his nine Test double centuries are second to only Don Bradman.
India travelled the opposite path during Tendulkar's career, gradually adding away success to their excellent home record as they rose to become the dominant force in the world game, on and off the field.
The Mumbai right-hander was the central figure in that rise, although - like Lara - his genius with bat in hand did not translate to the captaincy.
He was, instead, a leader by example, entering India's team as a 16-year-old prodigy and - despite his every move being scrutinised - managed 24 years of international cricket before signing off last year as the leading run scorer and century maker in both Tests and ODIs.