When the fixtures were announced for a home series against the West Indies, there was very little excitement, considering the gulf in class between the two teams.
Nonetheless, there was considerable hype in the lead up to the two-Test series, thanks to the Indian selectors call to include teenage sensation Prithvi Shaw in the 15-member squad.
There was more good news in store for cricket fans on the eve of the ongoing first Test in Rajkot as India all but confirmed Shaw's debut.
The 18-year-old didn't disappoint and lived up to the expectations as he became the youngest Indian to score a Test century on debut. Shaw got to the three-figure mark in the second session of the first day's play at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Shaw just needed 99 balls to get the landmark as he toyed with the weakened West Indies bowling, which missed captain Jason Holder and pacer Kemar Roach.
Nonetheless, Shaw showcased why is rated so highly by the cricket community. The youngster was aggressive right from the word go and made sure he latched on to the bad deliveries, which often came his way.
The U19 World Cup-winning Indian captain hit 15 boundaries and was severe against both the pacers and the spinners from the West Indies camp.
Even as his opening partner KL Rahul got out without troubling the scorers, Shaw didn't let the occasion overwhelm him and eventually got to the three-figure mark with considerable ease.
IBTimes, India has compiled a list of records broken by Shaw in his maiden Test innings. Check them out below.
- At 18 years and 329 days, Shaw became the youngest Indian and fourth overall to score a Test century on debut.
- Only Bangladesh's Mohammad Ashraful (17 years and 61 days), Zimbabwe's Hamilton Masakadza (17 years and 352 days) and Pakistan's Saleem Malik (18 years and 323 days) have scored Test centuries on debut at a younger age than Shaw, according to the International Cricket Council.
- Shaw also became the second youngest Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to score a Test century. The batting great had scored his first ton at the age of 17 years and 107 days against England at Manchester in August 1990.
- Shaw is also the seventh youngest to score a Test century after Ashraful, Mushtaq Mohammad (17 years and 78 days), Masakadza, Tendulkar, Imran Nazir (18 years and 154 days) and Malik.
- He also became the 15th Indian to score a ton on Test debut after Lala Amarnath, D Shodhan, AG Kripal Singh, Abbas Ali Baig, Hanumant Singh, GR Vishwanath, Surinder Amarnath, Mohammad Azharuddin, Pravin Amre, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and Rohit Sharma.
- He also becomes the third fastest to a century on Test debut. Shikhar Dhawan tops the list with his 85-ball ton against Australia in 2013 while Dwayne Smith of the West Indies is second on the list 93-ball ton against South Africa in 2004.
- Shaw has now scored a century each on his Ranji Trophy debut — 120 vs Tamil Nadu at Rajkot, Duleep Trophy debut — 154 vs India Blue in Lucknow and Test debut.
