India made a rollicking start with the bat in the first Test against the West Indies at Rajkot with the hosts piling on 364-4 on day one.
India lost KL Rahul for a duck in the very first over with Shannon Gabriel trapping the opener lbw. His partner, Prithvi Shaw, has started strongly though and is looking good at the crease in the company of Cheteshwar Pujara. The youngster has brought up a maiden Test fifty off just 56 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries. That feat has made him the youngest Indian batsman to register a half-century on Test debut.
The pair, meanwhile, has brought up a century stand in no time with India racing away to 133-1 at the end of 25 overs before lunch was taken on day one. Post lunch, the two batsmen continued to take the attack to the West Indie bowlers with Shaw racing away to a maiden ton on debut. His 99-ball ton has made him the fourth youngest batsman in history to notch up a hundred on his Test debut. The 206-run stand for the second wicket was finally broken by Sherman Lewis who removed Pujara on 86. Later, Shaw’s superb 134-run innings came to and end after he was caught and bowled by Devendra Bishoo.
Then, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane put on a 105-run stand with the former registering yet another Test fifty. Rahane (41) fell towards the end of the day’s play after he was caught behind off the bowling of Roston Chase.
All eyes are on young Prithvi Shaw as India take on West Indies in the first Test of the two-match series at Rajkot. The Mumbai youngster will be in the spotlight after skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first.
The 18-year-old opener is making his Test debut at the same venue where he played his maiden Ranji Trophy match last year after being handed his first international cap by Kohli himself on Thursday morning.
While India have handed the teenager his debut, West Indies will have to make do without the services of skipper Jason Holder who was ruled out of the Test due to an ankle injury. Kraigg Brathwaite will captain the Caribbean side in his absence.
India have named a three-man span attack in the form of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
Can Prithvi Shaw make it a debut to remember or will the West Indies spoil the party? Do not miss any of the action by following the ball-by-ball updates from Rajkot below.
