It was a tough day for the visitors in the field as India made a strong start in the first Test against the West Indies at Rajkot. The hosts were placed at 364-4 before stumps were drawn on day one with skipper Virat Kohli (72) unbeaten at the crease.
It was Kohli who won the toss and elected to bat first on a dry surface and his decision was vindicated by an excellent showing by India’s batsmen.
With the hosts in the ascendancy already in the first Test, we take a look at the talking points from day one.
WEST INDIES DEALT HOLDER BLOW BEFORE START
Even before a ball had been bowled in Rajkot, West Indies were dealt a huge blow with skipper Jason Holder being ruled out of the Test due to an ankle injury.
There was a surprise at the toss with Kraig Brathwaite coming out instead of Holder. The loss of the talismanic Holder, who was injured, could not have come at a worse time for the Caribbean side who had to also make do without the services of pacer Kemar Roach after his grandmother passed away.
While Roach has been West Indies’ pace spearhead of late, Holder’s absence would have hurt even more given how important his contributions are with both bat and ball. The two senior players also bring with them plenty of experience and their loss robbed a young West Indies outfit of some much-needed leadership on the eve of the Test.
Two big losses for the West Indies with Jason Holder injured and Kemar Roach on compassionate leave. The pair are at the top of the list of bowling averages with the new ball since the start of 2017. #IndvWI pic.twitter.com/ZqyFPkTgJh
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) October 4, 2018
DEBUTANT SHAW MAKES HISTORY FOR INDIA
While West Indies were struggling with the absence of key players, all Indian eyes were on young Prithvi Shaw who was handed his Test debut aged just 18. The teenager showed no signs of nerves in his maiden Test innings as he feasted on West Indies’ insipid bowling on a placid track.
Making hay against some wayward bowling despite India losing KL Rahul in the first over of the day itself, Shaw was scored at almost run-a-ball as he raced away to a 56-ball half-century. He did not just stop there though, as he forged a formidable partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara and was equally effective against both pacers and spinners in a free-flowing innings littered with boundaries.
The Mumbai-born youngster brought up a maiden Test ton in just 99 balls as he became the youngest Indian batsman to notch up a hundred on his debut. Shaw was barely troubled during his 154-ball stay at the crease and it is a testament to his attacking intent that the scoring-rate came down drastically once he departed.
💯👏🙌
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2018
Take a bow, @PrithviShaw #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/3ttCamlAcl
INSIPID WEST INDIES LEFT WITH A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB
If the visitors were hoping to give India a run for their money after their recent resurgence in the format, those hopes were quickly dashed on the day one. The absence of Holder and Roach was greatly felt at Rajkot with none of the West Indies’ bowlers apart from Shannon Gabriel really threatening the Indian batsmen.
The visitors’ hopes would have been raised coming into the match with all the talk being about how India would lay out bouncy pitches for the tour in preparation of their visit to Australia at the end of the year. Instead, what greeted them was a lifeless track where bowlers, especially pacers, had their work cut out.
That most of their bowlers were poor on the day did not help their cause either with the likes of Keemo Paul and debutant Sherman Lewis being highly wayward with their lines and lengths. The spinners fared no better either with Roston Chase being tonked to all parts of the ground while Devendra Bishoo failed to really create an impact apart from his wicket of Shaw.
Now, the visitors have been left with a mountain to climb with Virat Kohli looking in ominous form ahead of day two.
Never been able to associate West Indies with poor bowling. Every time someone says this, I close my eyes and imagine Curtly Ambrose breaking bones of batsmen. https://t.co/6u7sByTr03
— Sruthisagar Yamunan (@sruthisagar) October 4, 2018
