Young, talented Indian batsman Prithvi Shaw on Thursday made his debut in international cricket and scripted history by becoming the youngest debutant from India to score a Test century.
On Thursday morning, Indian skipper Virat Kohli handed Shaw his Test cap before the start of the opening match of the two-match Test series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot. The 18-year-old Mumbaikar has become 293rd Indian to represent India in the longest format of the game.
Shaw is not the first Mumbaikar to get everyone’s attention with his brilliant show with the bat and most likely won’t be the last. Shaw has often been compared to batting legend Sachin Tendulkar for his batting technique and playing style and he also has been hyped up as one of India’s future batting mainstays by many.
Debutant @PrithviShaw’s flawless 💯
Watch this special inning as the 18-year-old from Mumbai becomes the second youngest Indian to score a century on Test debut.
▶️https://t.co/D4GAPgyrsv #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/3rfWhXFdeZ
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2018
Shaw became a sensation after he led India to the 2018 ICC U19 World Cup glory. However, even before that, he stunned many by smashing 546 in a Mumbai-based Harris Shield elite division match in 2013 when he was just 14 years old.
Prithvi Shaw lost his mother at a young age and his father Pankaj Shaw gave up his business in 2006 and moved to Mumbai from Virar in an attempt to get Shaw closer to the MIG ground in Bandra. Former India spinner Nilesh Kulkarni spotted Shaw in the year 2010 and he was signed up for Rs 3 lakh per annum by his sports management company.
💯👏🙌
Take a bow, @PrithviShaw #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/3ttCamlAcl
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2018
Prithvi Shaw was part of India U-19 squad that won the youth Asia Cup in November 2016 in Sri Lanka. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2017 for Mumbai in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu. The right-handed batsman scored a majestic second-innings century that helped his team secure victory. In the same year, Shaw made his debut in Duleep Trophy and become the youngest player to score a century.
What a moment this is for young @PrithviShaw 👏💪
Brings up his FIRST Test 💯 off 99 deliveries. pic.twitter.com/fBN4VQP2fD
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2018
Later, in 2018, Shaw was named Indian skipper for the Under-19 World Cup squad in which Men-in-Blue emerged victorious. Delhi Daredevils signed Shaw for Rs 1.2 crores for the 2018 Indian Premier League. He justified their faith by scoring 245 runs in IPL 2018 in nine innings at a strike rate of 153.12.
Shaw also impressed the selectors with his performances for India A, both in England and at home against West Indies A and South Africa A, that earned him a call-up for the fourth and fifth Tests in England in 2018.
The youngest Indian batsman to score a century on Test debut – what an entrance from @PrithviShaw! 💪
➡️ https://t.co/SreOH4nxlS#INDvWI #howzstat pic.twitter.com/42otMv4orD
— ICC (@ICC) October 4, 2018
The 18-year-old batsman on Thursday (October 4, 2018) finally became India’s 293rd Test cricketer in Rajkot against West Indies. Prithvi Shaw is the only Indian to score a century on debut in Ranji Trophy (2016-17), Duleep Trophy (2017), and now on his India debut.