Teen debutant takes down Kohli, Rohit

West Indies teenage Test debutant Alzarri Joseph has made an explosive start to his international career, taking two key wickets as the home side restricted India to 5-234 at stumps on day one of the third Test in St Lucia.

Joseph, who in June was being used as a net bowler to the touring Australians in St Kitts and caught the eye of stand-in Australia coach Justin Langer (see video above), removed Virat Kohli (3) and Rohit Sharma (9) to finish the day with figures of 2-38 from 14 overs.

After collapsing to 5-127, India's innings was salvaged by an unbeaten century stand between Ravichandran Ashwin (75no) and Wriddhiman Saha (46).

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Opener Lokesh Rahul chipped in with a brisk 50 earlier, but India's batsmen were otherwise bogged down until Ashwin and Saha cut loose against the second new ball, plundering 46 runs off the final nine overs.

The late flurry took the gloss off what had been an encouraging day for West Indies after the hosts won the toss and decided to bowl.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (1-68) was expensive, although he took the first wicket of the day when Shikhar Dhawan (one) gloved a short ball down the leg side to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.

Joseph had Kohli caught at slip after testing the India skipper with some well-directed short balls.

After lunch, the 19-year-old snared Rohit caught behind, while allrounder Roston Chase continued his excellent series by picking up two wickets with his off-spin.

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Jason Holder and Miguel Cummins bowled with discipline in the four-pronged pace attack but went without wickets.

The in-form Ashwin was dropped on 21 and received another reprieve on 35 when he was caught at point off a Gabriel back foot no-ball.

Ashwin has been a thorn in West Indies' side the entire series, making a century and claiming seven wickets in the first Test before picking up another six victims in the second match.

Rahul followed up his 158 from the second Test by reaching his half-century in 64 balls before falling to the next delivery when he flicked Chase straight into the waiting hands of short fine leg.

"I wanted to attack the bowlers and put them under pressure because the wicket was a little damp the first hour," Rahul said.

"The ball was doing a bit with sideways movement ... and with this being an open ground, and with the breeze, there was swing throughout the day.

"I did my job pretty well, got the team off to a decent start and the boys carried on from there. We're pretty happy with our effort at the end of the day."

The day's talking point however, was Joseph, after the teenager – boasting just eight first-class caps to his name heading into the contest – was presented with his cap from West Indies manager and legendary quick Joel Garner.

In June, Langer was taken with the athleticism of the young quick, likening him to a pair of Jamaican superstars – sprint king Usain Bolt and big-hitting allrounder Andre Russell – and even playfully extending an invited to Joseph to join the Perth Scorchers for BBL|06 while the two were in the nets. 

"He ran in like Usain Bolt, bowled for about an hour-and-a-half … he's a beautiful athlete and he bowled fast," Langer said after Australia's victory in the ODI tri-series final in Barbados.

"He's big and tall and reminds me of Andre Russell.

"He bowled fast and beautiful yorkers. And what an athlete."

Joseph, who hails from Antigua, was a key figure in the West Indies' victory at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year and has impressed in his limited domestic career so far, taking 24 wickets including two five-wicket hauls.

Langer is not the first Test legend to note Joseph's raw talent, with fellow Antiguan quicks Sir Curtly Ambrose and Sir Andy Roberts both praising the young speedster.

And their country of birth isn't the only thing Ambrose and Joseph have in common, with the former Windies bowling coach saying of the young charge: "You don’t smile much (when you’re bowling) ... and I like that about you."

India lead the four-match series 1-0, after the second Test in Jamaica was drawn.