Prithvi Shaw's debut ton helps India take control at Rajkot

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Shaw, who was handed his India cap before the match by captain Virat Kohli, starred with a magnificent 134 with 19 fours as India made merry on the opening day of the first Test finishing on 364/4. Cheteshwar Pujara (86), Kohli (72*) and Ajinkya Rahane (41) were among the runs as well.

Kohli called it right after not managing to win a single toss in his previous five outings in Tests and India batted first, making the best use of batting-friendly conditions in Rajkot, despite losing opener KL Rahul for a four-ball duck to Shannon Gabriel with just three runs on the board.

The first half of the day belonged to Shaw, who becamethe youngest Indian batsman to score a century and half-century on debut. Along the way, he also became the fourth youngest batsman in the world to hit a century on Test debut and the second-youngest Indian batsman to hit a Test ton after Sachin Tendulkar.

The 18-year-old combined with Pujara to add 206 runs for the second wicket, 130 of which came in the first session as India went to lunch at 133/1. By then, Shaw had already brought up his 50 off 56 balls with seven fours.

The Indian team 50 came up in the 11th over and the 100 in the 20th, indicating the rate at which Shaw and Pujara scored their runs.

Pujara, a naturally defensive batsman, also brought up his half-century off just 67 balls with nine boundaries. The batsmen were particularly harsh on leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, whose first 19 overs went for 76 runs.

Shaw was unbeaten on 75 at lunch and did not take much time to get to his hundred after the break, pushing a ball into the deep and collecting a double to reach 100 from 99 balls.

He also became the second fastest centurion on debut for India after Shikhar Dhawan, the man he replaced at the top of the order, who had hit an 85-ball 100 against Australia on his debut in 2013.

The Windies, who were being led by Kraigg Brathwaite in the absence of regular captain Jason Holder, who sustained an ankle injury, finally tasted some success late in the second session when debutant Sherman Lewis got Pujara's edge and dismissed him caught behind for 86.

Shaw fell soon after, lobbing a simple return catch to Bishoo as the visitors managed to pull things back to some extent in the second session, conceding 99 runs and picking up two wickets. Shaw faced 154 balls.

However, in the overall scheme of things, India were cruising at 232/3 at tea, having brought up their 200 in the 40th over and with Kohli and Rahane at the crease.

The third session did not begin well for the visitors either, as Kohli drilled a straight drive for four to get things going. Soon, the 250 was up for India in the 56th over and both Kohli and Rahane were set.

Rahane, who had endured a less-than-perfect run in England and averaged 30.72 in Tests since 2017, also got going with a straight drive off Gabriel, just like Kohli, and by the time the last drinks break was taken, India were 271/3 and the partnership between the two 39 in 13.4 overs.

Although the Windies managed to keep the scoring rate in check in the final session, Kohli and Rahane brought up their 50-run partnership off 116 balls in the 69th over and except for an outside edge off Rahane drawn by Roston Chase that flew wide of Shai Hope at first slip when the batsman was on 16, the visitors could not create many chances.

The Indian vice-captain grew in confidence as the innings progressed, slapping Bishoo through the covers for a boundary, as did Kohli, who late-cut the same bowler for a three towards third man, and together the duo took India past 300.

Kohli soon brought up his 20th Test half-century, albeit in a grinding fashion with just two fours and off 100 balls. The 100 partnership was also up soon after Rahane cut Chase through cover-point for his fifth boundary, off 185 balls.

Rahane too looked set for a half-century before he edged a wide Chase delivery to the keeper Shane Dowrich in the dying moments of the day. The Windies decided to take the second new ball immediately after Rishabh Pant (17*) arrived at the crease but Pant and Kohli ensured that India crossed 350 before stumps without any further loss.