Shaw makes perfect start to India career with century on debut against West Indies

Prithvi Shaw became the seventh-youngest centurion in Test history and only the second to make a century on debut for India on the opening day against West Indies

^{India batsman Prithvi Shaw (stock image)}

Prithvi Shaw became the seventh-youngest centurion in Test history and only the second to make a century on his maiden innings for India on the opening day against West Indies.

At 18 years and 329 days old, Shaw emulated the achievement of Shikhar Dhawan against Australia in 2013 by reaching his hundred during the afternoon session in Rajkot.

Only one other Indian - the great Sachin Tendulkar - made it to three figures at a younger age, while Shaw is one of just three men to have hit a debut ton in less than 100 balls.

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The youngster brought up the landmark from 99 deliveries against West Indies, joining a small group including Dhawan (85 balls) and Dwayne Smith (93 balls for West Indies against South Africa in Cape Town in 2004).

It was already a notable day for Shaw, who became the third-youngest Test cricketer in India's history - behind Tendulkar and Vijay Mehra - when he took to the field at the start of play.

Despite losing his opening partner KL Rahul early, trapped lbw by Shannon Gabriel, Shaw remained unflustered and reached the lunch break unbeaten on 75.

Shortly after the interval he converted his fifty into a hundred, with 60 of his first 102 runs coming in boundaries.