Greatest debut ever? Double ton secures historic chase

Kyle Mayers became the first batsman to score a fourth-innings double-century on debut as the West Indies chased down 395 for a stunning three-wicket win against Bangladesh in the first Test.

Mayers struck 20 fours and seven sixes in his 310-ball innings of 210 not out, guiding the West Indies to complete the fifth-highest chase in a Test and also the biggest ever in Asia.

Mayers, who scored 40 in the first innings, ended with 250 runs in the match, the second-highest tally for a West Indies batsman on debut.

Image Id: 1B72483AF5F44FE58F3AAED4E7627906 Image Caption: Mayers celebrates his hundred // Getty

Playing just his 33rd first-class game and his first Test, Mayers became just the fifth man in history to score a double hundred on Test debut and the first to do so in the fourth innings, shattering the previous record fourth-innings score of 112, which was set in 1959.

He is just the eighth debutant in history to score a hundred in the fourth innings of a Test.

Incredibly, Mayers averaged just 29 with the bat in first-class cricket before this Test, with a highest score of 140 one of just two career hundreds.

He scored a duck in each of his two most recent first-class innings before today.

His 216-run partnership with Nkrumah Bonner (86) for the fourth wicket, West Indies' highest fourth innings partnership for any wicket since 1984, proved to be the game changer.

Needing another 285 runs with seven wickets in hand, the West Indies began the crucial fifth day on the front foot, with Bonner pulling off-spinner Mehidy Hasan over square leg for a boundary from the first ball.

Image Id: 5EF5990FC46849BAAF2787F21239C66F Image Caption: A Bangladesh fan laments the defeat // Getty

Mayers and Bonner then survived several tricky moments in the first hour of the day, with off-spinner Hasan (4-113) and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (2-91) keeping the batsmen on their toes.

Mayers brought up his century off 177 balls, after getting an outside edge that flew past gully for his 13th boundary.

In doing so, he became just the eighth batsmen to hit a fourth-innings century on debut.

While Mayers chose to counterattack, Bonner opted to defend in a strategy of caution and calculated aggression that served them well.

After two disappointing sessions, Taijul finally gave Bangladesh some hope, dismissing Bonner in the first over after tea.

The wicket came off just as Bonner came out in an aggressive mood to press for victory as West Indies entered the last session needing another 129 runs from a possible 33 overs.

Bonner's 86 came off 245 balls, with 10 boundaries and one six.

Image Id: 0A08DF9C795B493BA335CE0ACE58DBD7 Image Caption: Mayers hit 20 fours and seven sixes // Getty

Bangladesh then appeared to tighten its grip on the match as off-spinner Nayeem Hasan dismissed Jermaine Blackwood for 9, leaving the West Indies at 5-292.

But Mayers continued his spectacular attack with wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva giving him the necessary support to seal the victory.

Silva scored just 20 in their 100-run partnership and was out just three runs away from victory.

Mayers, meanwhile, brought up his double hundred off 303 balls with a gentle punch to deep backward point for a single.

He then hit his seventh six to put the tourists on the verge of winning before pushing one off Nayeem Hasan to mid-on for a single to confirm the victory.

Highest scores on Test debut

287 - Tip Foster, England v Australia, 1903

222* - Jacques Rudolph, South Africa v Bangladesh, 2003

214 - Lawrence Rowe, West Indies v New Zealand, 1972

214 - Matthew Sinclair, New Zealand v West Indies, 1999

210* - Kyle Mayers, West Indies v Bangladesh, 2021

201* - Brendon Kuruppu, Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 1987

Highest successful run chases in Tests

7-418 – West Indies v Australia, St John’s, 2003

4-414 – South Africa v Australia, Perth, 2008

4-406 – India v West Indies, Port of Spain, 1976

3-404 – Australia v England, Leeds, 1948

7-395 – West Indies v Bangladesh, Chattogram, 2021