India vs West Indies : 1st Test Day 1: Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara Rebuild For India vs Windies

India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first against West Indies in the opening Test in Rajkot on Thursday. Teenage opener Prithvi Shaw will make his international debut after receiving his Test cap from Kohli. The 18-year-old was already named in the final 12 on the eve of the game. The world number one Test side have gone in with three spinners and two pace bowlers in the first of the two Tests. “There’s a bit of grass that holds up the surface. It’s very warm and humid here so the best time to bat will be first,” said Kohli. “(Let’s) see what Shaw can do at the top,” he added. “It’s all about giving them this particular phase. Give them some confidence before the start of the series against Australia.” West Indies are missing their regular skipper Jason Holder due to an ankle injury, Kraigg Brathwaite deputising as captain. Batsman Sunil Ambris and debutant fast bowler Sherman Lewis have been included in the XI. Ambris has been rewarded for his unbeaten 114 in the team’s only tour game in India. “I would have had a bat first as well. Using the new ball is the key for us. Got to be aggressive and enjoy the game,” stand-in-skipper Brathwaite said. “I think the guys are looking forward to this,” he added.

Live updates between India vs West Indies, 1st Test, Day 1

10:40 IST: Good start from Devendra Bishoo after the drinks break. Just a couple of runs from his over. Keemo Paul will share the ball with him from the other end. IND 58-1 after 13 overs.

10:34 IST: Drinks break – India 56-1 after 12 overs. Prithvi Shaw is batting on 33 alongside Cheteshwar Pujara on 22 runs.

10:28 IST: Four 50 up for India! Tossed up delivery from Devendra Bishoo and Prithvi Shaw hits him straight down the ground to collect another boundary. Both Shaw (31*) and Pujara (21*) are batting fluently at the moment. 50-run partnership also comes up between both of them. IND 53-1 after 10.3 overs.

10:23 IST: FOUR! Cheteshwar Pujara dealing in boundaries at the moment. This time hits Sherman Lewis through point to collect four runs. IND 40-1 after 9.2 overs.

10:21 IST: Tight start from leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo. Just one run from his first over. Prithvi Shaw takes a single on the final ball. IND 36-1 after 9 overs.

10:18 IST: Spin introduced for the first time in the match. Devendra Bishoo comes in to replace Shannon Gabriel. IND 35-1 after 8 overs.

10:16 IST: FOUR! Cheteshwar Pujara gets his first boundary of the match. Straight drive from Pujara fetches him a four runs. Brilliant timing one that one from the right-hander. IND 31-1 after 7.3 overs.

10:07 IST: Tight start from Sherman Lewis on his Test debut. Just one run from his first over. IND 25-1 after 6 overs.

10:01 IST: Bowling change for Windies! Debutant Sherman Lewis comes in to replace Keemo Paul.

09:55 IST: FOUR! Over the slips for a boundary. Keemo Pauls this time bowls wide outside off and Prithvi Shaw flashes hard at the ball. Gets a thick outside edge and the ball goes over the gully fielder for a boundary. IND 24-1 after 4 overs.

09:51 IST: FOUR! Second boundary for Prithvi Shaw. Brilliant timing on that one from the youngster. Keemo Paul strays down the leg side and Shaw flicks the ball through square leg to collect four runs. IND 16-1 after 3.1 overs.

09:45 IST: Cheteshwar Pujara is off the mark with a single on the leg side. Shannon Gabriel drifts on to the pads and Pujara flicks the ball to fine-leg and collects a run. IND 9-1 after 2.3 overs.

09:41 IST: FOUR! First boundary for Prithvi Shaw and India. Wide delivery outside off from Keemo Paul and Shaw punches the ball through the cover region to collect his first boundary in Test cricket. IND 7-1 after 1.5 overs.

09:38 IST: Keemo Paul will share the new ball with Shannon Gabriel from the other end. IND 3-1 after 1 over.

09:36 IST: OUT! Review from KL Rahul! Original decision is out. And the decision from the on-field umpire stays. Wicket in first over for Shannon Gabriel. Traps KL Rahul right in front of the stumps. A poor review from India. Rahul walks back without opening his account.

09:31 IST: Prithvi Shaw and India are off the mark with three runs. A punch off the back-foot from Shaw and the ball goes through the covers towards the boundary. The fielders cuts the ball but Shaw  manages to pick up three runs. IND 3-0 after 0.2 overs.

09:30 IST: Shannon Gabriel starts with a wide delivery outside the off-stump. Prithvi Shaw lets the ball go. IND 0-0 after 0.1 overs. 

09:29 IST: Openers Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul are out in the middle to start the innings for India. Shannon Gabriel will start the proceedings for the Windies.

09:23 IST: Both teams are at the centre along with the match officials for the national anthems. We are just minutes away from the start.

09:05 IST: Here are the playing XI for both the teams.

India – Lokesh Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav.

The Windies – Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sunil Ambris, Shane Dowrich(w), Keemo Paul, Devendra Bishoo, Sherman Lewis, Shannon Gabriel.

09:01 IST: Proud moment for 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw! He becomes the 293rd player to represent India in Test cricket.

09:00 IST: Indian skipper Virat Kohli wins the toss and elects to bat against the Windies in the first Test.

08:30 IST: Hello and welcome to the live updates of the first Test between India and the Windies.

Even India’s second Test triple-centurion Karun Nair, who warmed the bench in England, was ignored for the West Indies series, triggering an intense selection debate. What is certain is that a brand new opening combination will be tried in the next couple of games with KL Rahul opening with uncapped talent Prithvi Shaw. The series does provide a good opportunity to Shaw and another uncapped player, Mayank Agarwal, who had been waiting for a call-up to the Indian side for quite some time.

In the bowling department, India are expected to play three spinners — Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav – and Umesh Yadav will pair up with Mohammad Shami, who will lead the pace attack in the absence of the rested duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and an injured Ishant Sharma. Jadeja will be expected to perform with both bat and ball in the absence of an injured Hardik Pandya.