Day 1 of the first Test against West Indies concluded with India right on top. However, the biggest headline of the day was the stunning century by young Prithvi Shaw, all of 18 years old, to set the template for the rest of the day.
India ended the day with 364 for 4, which is the highest by any Indian team against the West Indies on a single day.
"Feeling really good now, after the hundred. I was a bit nervous to start off but when I got in, I got comfortable. I just tried to play my natural game," Shaw said after the first day's play.
'Played the ball on merit'
His inhibited style of play has been the talk of the town in the domestic circuit and he displayed tremendous self-belief on his first day out in International cricket. He was never too hesitant in playing his strokes and putting the pressure on the bowlers.
"How am I supposed to bat as it was my first game. I played the balls on merit and kept on going from thereon," he added.
His ability to read the situations and the react accordingly stood out and the young man said that it had to do with him playing a lot of cricket in domestic setup and improving every day.
"I wanted to make this chance count. It was a good challenge for me and I think I did well in front of these guys. From the smaller age, I used to play a lot of school cricket, 30 or 35 school games in a year. I have played a lot of cricket in Ranji and it just keeps going on with so much cricket around. All that experience has helped me and I played my game accordingly," Shaw said.
He got to his century with a drive through covers and then exulted, pumping his fists in the air as the Indian dressing room rose in unison to applaud the newest entrant in their team.
"I was thinking about my dad, as he has sacrificed a lot for me. First hundred, it's all for him. Playing for India, it was a big thing for me," the young man confessed.
'Disappointed I got out just before Tea'
Shaw was dismissed by leg-spinner Bishoo minutes before the Tea on 134 (154 balls). The young Mumbai cricketer though insisted that he shouldn't have gotten out at the point, considering the batsman-friendly conditions in Rajkot.
"I don't think it was enough after scoring that hundred. The wicket was good. I should have kept batting and was really disappointed about getting out before Tea. There were only 10 minutes for Tea and it kept playing in my mind."
