India vs West Indies: Sensational Shaw hits debut ton as hosts dominate Day 1

The sensation and batting prowess of the young Prithvi Shaw was on display at the Saurashtra Cricket Stadium as the debutant notched up a hundred on debut on a day that was entirely dominated by India.

It was in the autumn of 2013 when the the West Indies had toured India for a two-match Test series-what was dubbed as a stage for the grand exit of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

Five years later, it is the West Indies series which has launched the young Prithvi Shaw into the big league-an elite list of Indians who have reached the three-figure mark on Test debut.
Shaw’s case here is an exception as he is the youngest out of the 15 names in that list, who have achieved this historic feat.
Safe to say, he has made a mark already.

India won the toss in Rajkot and opted to bat first and the visitors would have felt that they were in for a good day when fast bowler Shannon Gabriel trapped KL Rahul in front of the wicket for a duck.

But what followed next completely changed the course of the day and potentially, the game as well as Shaw joined hands with Cheteshwar Pujara to stitch a mammoth 206-run stand that took the fight out of the West Indies.

While Pujara started to become his own after a not-so-impressive tour of England, the young Shaw on the other hand milked the bowlers with ease, never giving the impression that he was an absolute newbie to Test cricket.

And this fact became the highlight of the discussions about him that would follow when he sure on to the covers to bring up his hundred. This was when the numbers started flowing in as Shaw, in his very first day as a cricketer of the senior Indian team left an indelible mark, something which wouldn’t be forgotten soon.

Seven overs after Pujara fell for 86, Shaw’s joyride finally ended with him having scored a magnificent 134 of 154 balls with 19 fours when he was caught and bowled by Devendra Bishoo, who had a tough day at the office , conceding 113 runs in the 30 overs he bowled.

Also read: India vs West Indies: Prithvi Shaw shatters multiple records with debut Test century

But skipper Virat Kohli didn’t let India’s control over the match slip away as he recreated his form from England as he and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane added 105 runs before the latter’s 92-ball stay at the crease was cut short by off-spinner Roston Chase. Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant is at the crease accompanying the skipper who looks well  set for a big one on 72 off 137 balls with four fours as India ended the day at 364/4– their highest against the West Indies on the opening day of a Test match.

Brief score:

India 364/4 (Prithvi Shaw 134, Cheteshwar Pujara 86, Sherman Lewis 1/56) vs West Indies