Chapter 60 : Test Debut

With the ODI series wrapped up, the team landed in Antigua, where they would begin their preparations for the first Test match at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The transition to red-ball cricket meant a shift in mindset—there was no rush, no frantic power-hitting, just patience, discipline, and earning every run.

As the players stepped onto the training ground, going through their warm-up drills, Advay stood near the nets, adjusting his gloves, his mind already focused. Virat Kohli, standing next to him, smirked.

"Red-ball cricket is a different beast, kid. No room for rush. You have to earn every run here."

Advay nodded, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah. No free hits."

Rohit Sharma, stretching nearby, chuckled. "And no six sixes in an over this time, alright?"

The group burst into laughter, while Advay smirked. "Can't promise that."

The net sessions began, and the intensity was different. Jasprit Bumrah ran in with the new ball, sending a sharp outswinger past Mayank Agarwal's outside edge. The bowlers were already in Test mode, hitting the perfect line and length, making the batsmen work for every shot.

When it was Advay's turn to bat, he took guard at No. 3, just as he would in the match. Mohammed Shami ran in, angling one in at good length.

Advay leaned forward, his bat meeting the ball with a solid defensive push. The next ball—slightly overpitched—was driven through the covers for four.

Harbhajan Singh, watching from the sidelines, nodded. "Good technique. He's got time."

Bumrah, holding the ball at the top of his mark, smirked. "Let's test that technique then."

He steamed in, firing a 140 km/h inswinging yorker.

Advay barely had time to react—but his bat came down just in time, digging it out perfectly. The sound of bat meeting ball echoed across the nets.

Chahal, watching from outside, clapped dramatically. "Bumrah bhai, stop scaring the new guy!"

Bumrah grinned. "If he's playing at No. 3, he has to be ready for this."

Advay, adjusting his helmet, smirked. "I'm always ready."

The training session continued, with bowlers rotating their spells, batsmen working on different match scenarios, and the slip cordon practicing catches. After hours of intense practice, the players finally wrapped up, the sun beginning to set over the Caribbean.

Virat walked over to Advay, patting his back. "First Test match coming up. How are you feeling?"

Advay exhaled lightly. "Excited. But not nervous."

Virat smirked. "Good. Stay that way."

With just a few days left before his Test debut, Advay knew that the real challenge was about to begin. And he couldn't wait.

On August 22, 2019, under the bright Caribbean sun at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, India won the toss and elected to bat first. The pitch looked good for batting, with a touch of moisture early on but expected to ease out as the game progressed.

Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal walked out to open the innings, facing the new-ball attack from Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel. The first few overs were tense, with Roach getting early swing and Gabriel testing the batsmen with extra pace and bounce.

In the 7th over, Roach found a breakthrough, trapping Mayank Agarwal LBW for 14 with a sharp in-swinger. The West Indies players erupted in celebration, sensing an early opening.

As the wicket fell, the crowd murmured with anticipation—because walking in at No. 3 for India, for the first time in Test cricket, was Advay Rai.

The 19-year-old adjusted his gloves, tapped his bat twice, and took his stance. Shannon Gabriel steamed in, bowling a fiery short delivery first up. Advay, showing no nerves, got on top of the bounce and pulled it with authority through midwicket for four.

Harsha Bhogle in commentary smiled. "Well, well, well! This young man never plays like a debutant, does he?"

Ravi Shastri chuckled. "Confidence. Pure confidence. And that's what you need at No. 3."

As the innings progressed, Advay settled in, rotating the strike well with Rohit Sharma. The West Indies bowlers tried to bowl tight lines, but he played with patience, leaving deliveries outside off and punishing anything too full or short.

By lunch, India had moved to 102/1, with Rohit batting on 46 and Advay on 37.

After the break, India accelerated, with Rohit bringing up his half-century before falling for 61 to Roston Chase's off-spin. Virat Kohli walked in at No. 4, and the two best young batters of the generation—Advay and Virat—now shared the crease.

The partnership was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Kohli kept the scoreboard ticking, while Advay began unleashing his full range of strokes.

In the 51st over, he drove Jason Holder through the covers for four, bringing up his maiden Test century in just 148 balls. He removed his helmet, bowed to the crowd, and acknowledged the dressing room, where his teammates stood, clapping.

As the innings progressed, Advay refused to slow down. Kohli fell for 78, but Ajinkya Rahane gave him company. Advay played with incredible discipline, tiring out the West Indies bowlers.

By the end of Day 1, India stood at 342/3, with Advay unbeaten on 157.

The next morning, he continued his dominance, smashing the bowlers all around the park. His double century came with a pull shot off Gabriel, as the crowd stood up, realizing they were witnessing something special.

Virat Kohli, watching from the pavilion, shook his head with a smirk. "This kid is unreal."

Advay finally fell for 256, mistiming an attempted lofted drive off Chase, but by then, India had crossed 500.

After declaring at 572/6, India's bowlers wrapped up the West Indies innings twice, leading to a massive victory.

The first Test was won, and Advay Rai's name was already etched into history.

As the team bus rolled through the quiet streets, heading back to the hotel, exhaustion had taken over. Most of the players were fast asleep, their heads resting against the windows, legs stretched out over empty seats, their bodies finally catching a break after five grueling days of Test cricket. The only sounds in the bus were the occasional hum of the engine and the faint rustling of someone shifting in their sleep.

Advay, however, was wide awake, sitting comfortably near the window, his phone in hand. Scrolling through the forums and social media reactions had become a ritual for him after every match, and tonight was no different.

The internet was going wild.

His name was trending across platforms, and every cricket page, journalist, and fan discussion was dominated by his record-breaking debut innings.

One of the top posts on Twitter had a split image—one of him bowing to the crowd in the ODIs and another of him raising his bat after his double century in Tests.

"Different format, same result. Advay Rai is the future."

Another post read:

"256 on Test debut? This guy isn't real. He walked into international cricket like he owns it."

A well-known cricket journalist had tweeted:

"India has had some incredible debut performances in Test history. But a 19-year-old walking in at No. 3, absorbing pressure, and hitting 256 like he's been playing for a decade? This isn't normal. This is greatness in the making."

A long thread on Reddit was breaking down every shot he played, analyzing his technique, his temperament, his ability to build an innings.

One comment stood out:

"Forget 'generational talent.' Advay Rai might be the best young batsman we've ever seen."

Another fan wrote:

"He's built for the big moments. He isn't just here to play—he's here to dominate."

Advay smirked slightly, shaking his head. He never let the hype get to him, but seeing how people reacted to his innings always amused him. The same people who once doubted him were now calling him unstoppable.

Beside him, Chahal stirred slightly, shifting in his seat before cracking one eye open. "Bro… it's late. What are you still doing on your phone?"

Advay didn't look up. "Just checking what the world is saying."

Chahal rubbed his eyes. "Let me guess—praising you like crazy?"

Advay shrugged. "Something like that."

Chahal yawned, stretching his arms before flopping back onto his seat, half-asleep again. "Enjoy it, superstar. You've earned it."

Advay chuckled softly but didn't reply. He took one last glance at his phone, watching the endless flood of reactions, before locking the screen and leaning back into his seat.

The streets of Antigua passed by through the bus window, dimly lit by streetlights, but he barely noticed them.

Because even though he had just played the innings of a lifetime, he knew this was only the beginning.

With the series already secured after a dominant win in the first Test, the Indian team management decided to rest Advay Rai for the second Test in Jamaica to manage his workload.

Even without him, India continued their dominance, with solid batting performances from the top order and a lethal bowling display led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. West Indies struggled to keep up, and by the final day, India had wrapped up the match with ease, sealing the series 2-0.

From the dressing room balcony, Advay watched the final moments unfold, feeling a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. His Test career had started in the best way possible, and now, bigger challenges awaited.

After wrapping up the Test series 2-0 against West Indies, the Indian team gathered for a celebratory dinner at one of the finest restaurants in Jamaica. The atmosphere was lively and relaxed, a well-earned break after weeks of intense cricket.

The players arrived dressed in casual yet stylish outfits, laughing and chatting as they entered the private dining area booked exclusively for the team. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul led the way, while the bowlers—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma—trailed behind, already discussing their best spells from the series.

As everyone settled in, Chahal leaned toward Advay, smirking. "So, how does it feel? A hundred in T20s, a double hundred in Tests… are you going to let us score some runs too, or should we all just retire?"

Advay chuckled, sipping his water. "You guys can bat too? News to me."

The table burst into laughter, while Pant shook his head. "Bro, I swear, this guy acts all quiet, but when he speaks, it's straight-up savagery!"

The waiters arrived, placing plates of grilled seafood, Jamaican jerk chicken, rice and peas, and fresh fruit platters in front of them. As the team dug in, the conversations became more animated.

Rohit pointed his fork at Bumrah. "Bumrah bhai, that hat-trick… crazy spell, man!"

Bumrah, always humble, just shrugged. "Just did my job."

Hardik smirked. "Your job is making batsmen look stupid, and you do it well."

Virat, seated at the head of the table, clapped his hands together. "Alright, before we finish, let's raise a toast. To an unbeaten tour—T20Is, ODIs, and Tests, all done in style!"

Everyone clinked their glasses, some with juice, others with their drinks of choice.

KL Rahul grinned, nudging Advay. "And to our superstar debutant, who casually walked into international cricket and started breaking records like it's nothing."

The entire team cheered, while Advay smirked, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. Enough now."

Chahal chuckled. "Bhai, get used to it. This is your life now."

As the night went on, stories were exchanged, jokes were made, and the team enjoyed a rare moment away from cricket. The next challenge—South Africa at home—was right around the corner, but for tonight, they celebrated. Because victories like this deserved to be remembered.

The next morning, the Indian team arrived at the airport, ready to board their flight back home before preparing for the upcoming South Africa series. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and exhaustion, with players in comfortable travel outfits, some wearing team hoodies, others in caps and sunglasses.

At the check-in counter, Rohit Sharma yawned, stretching his arms. "Man, I need at least a week of sleep after this tour."

KL Rahul, standing beside him, chuckled. "Same. But knowing you, you'll wake up just in time for the next match."

Further down the line, Advay Rai stood with his backpack slung over one shoulder, scrolling through his phone while waiting for security clearance. Chahal, spotting him, smirked.

"Oye, superstar. Ready for your next flight or still reading fan reactions?"

Advay looked up, smirking. "I don't need to check. You already tell me what people are saying."

Pant, overhearing, grinned. "Bro, it's not fair! You got to break all the records in your first tour itself. At least leave some for us."

Advay shrugged. "You should've batted longer."

The group burst into laughter, while Pant groaned dramatically.

As they cleared security and moved toward their gate, Virat Kohli stood near the boarding area, checking the team list. Ravi Shastri and the coaching staff discussed schedules and planning for the South Africa series.

Once on the flight, players settled into their seats—some watching movies, others listening to music or dozing off.

Advay, as usual, took his seat near the window, staring out at the runway lights, knowing that the next challenge awaited them soon.