Match Report
Windies tour of India 2018/19 (First Test): Day One – Indian top-orders provide dominated start
By Sandy - Oct 4, 2018 6:57 pm
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Indian batsmen dominated on the opening day of the first Test of two-match Test series against the visitors’ Windies at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium (Rajkot) as India finished the day on 364/4, with the help of debutant Prithvi Shaw’s century and two more 50+ knocks.

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Prithvi Shaw

Indian skipper Virat Kohli decided to bat first after winning the toss at the morning. Making his international cricket debut at the age of just 18 years and 329 days and coming to bat as an opening batsman, Prithvi Shaw impressed with his batting performance as he scored a brilliant century. On the other hand, his opening partner KL Rahul failed to open his account after getting trapped for lbw in the first over of the series.

After Rahul’s dismissal, Shaw provided a 206-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara who scored 86 runs off 130 balls (14 fours). During that partnership, Shaw completed his brilliant century in 99 balls. The young right-handed batsman continued his innings till 134 off 154 balls (19 fours) and then he was dismissed by Devendra Bishoo through the caught & bowled.

Prithvi Shaw

Also watch: Stats of Prithvi Shaw in debutant Test match

Indian skipper Virat Kohli and the vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane then set another century partnership of 105 runs for the fourth wicket. Rahane was dismissed on 41 runs while the skipper Kohli completed his half-century in 100 balls.

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane

At the stumps of the day, Kohli remained unbeaten on 72 off 137 balls (4 fours) while the wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was not out on 17 runs as India was batting on 364/4.

It was the hard day for the Windies team who lost their captain Jason Holder prior to this Test match due to an ankle sprain. The opener Kraigg Brathwaite is leading the side in this Test match where at the end of the day, Shannon Gabriel (1/66), Sherman Lewis (1/56), Devendra Bishoo (1/113) and Roston Chase (1/67) picked up one wicket each.

Some important stats of day 1 of Rajkot Test between India and Windies

  • Indian opening batsman KL Rahul was dismissed for a duck as it was his third duck as a Test opening batsman in this calendar year (2018). It is the joint second most duck dismissals for an Indian Test opening batsman in a calendar year as the record is 5 duck dismissals that had been held by Pankaj Roy in 1952.
  • Indian batsmen Prithvi Shaw and Cheteshwar Pujara put a 206-run partnership for the second wicket. It is the third highest second wicket Test partnership for India against Windies.
  • The debutant Indian opening batsman Prithvi Shaw scored 134 runs. It is the third highest knock by an Indian batsman in their Test debutant innings. The top two records are 187 by Shikhar Dhawan (against Australia at Mohali in 2013) and 177 by Rohit Sharma (against West Indies at Kolkata in 2013).
  • At the end of the day, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has scored 6,219 Test runs. Kohli is now the eighth most Test runs scorer as an Indian batsman after surpassing Mohammad Azharuddin (6,215 Test runs).