OCTOBER 4, 2018
Brief Scorecard: India 364 for 4 (Shaw 134, Pujara 86, Kohli 72*, Gabriel 1-66) v West Indies
October 4, 2018: India v West Indies, 1st Test, Rajkot Shaw made history by scoring a century on debut, getting there after lunch – AP
Rajkot: Prithvi Shaw’s historic debut hundred highlighted a dominating first day for India in the first Test against West Indies in Rajkot. After electing to bat on a placid pitch, India lost KL Rahul to Shannon Gabriel in the first over but Shaw’s stunning hundred helped the hosts take the upper hand.
Cheteshwar Pujara (86) and Virat Kohli (72 not out) were also among the runs as India finished day one on 364/4. This is now the highest score for India on the opening day of a Test match by India against West Indies
Shaw, 18 years and 329 days, became the fourth youngest batsman in history to score a hundred in his first Test. He also became the 15th Indian batsman to score a debut Test hundred and the first man to hit a hundred on his Ranji, Duleep Trophy and Test debut. Sachin Tendulkar had scored hundreds on debut at the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup.
Shaw was unfazed by the early loss of his opening partner and added 206 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara, who fell for 86. While Pujara, the local boy, was unfortunate to miss out on a well-deserved hundred, the day belonged to the debutant who reached his hundred off only 99 balls.
This was the third fastest hundred by a Test debutant.
There were crisp drives, deft touches and nice-looking cuts throughout Shaw’s innings. The teenager showed he had the game to play strokes on all sides of the wicket and even though it was a flat pitch and West Indies went in without two of their best bowlers (Kemar Roach and Jason Holder), Shaw showed great application. After reaching his hundred, Shaw was prepared to start afresh for another long haul.
But that was not to as Shaw fell to Devendra Bishoo, who lapped up the return catch gleefully.
Conditions were far from suitable for the bowlers, who had to toil in the heat. After Shaw’s dismissal, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane got together for a 105-run stand. After starting watchfully, both batsmen opened up and easy runs were for the taking against a tiring bowling outfit. However, Rahane edged a Roston Chase delivery to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich for 41.
But there was no lapse in concentration for Kohli, who returned for India after a break. The Indian captain had taken a break and missed the Asia Cup after the exhausting tour of England. In five Tests there, Kohli had scored 593 runs including two hundreds.
By the end of day one, Kohli was closing in on his 24th Test hundred.
Batting with Kohli at the other end was Rishabh Pant, who hit a six in the final over of the day to announce his intentions.
The second day promises to bring more runs for India, who would hope to pile on a big score in the first innings and then bat West Indies out of the match.
Courtesy/Source: India Today
