Internet Desk: 17-year old Prithvi Shaw has been drafted into the Mumbai squad for the crucial Ranji Trophy 2016-17 semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu, set to begin on January 1 in Rajkot’s Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
The teenager, who has replaced opener Kevin d’Almeida, is the only inclusion to the side that beat Hyderabad by 30 runs in the quarterfinals. D’Almeida failed to capitalize on the opportunity and returned with scores of 9 and 1, apart from dropping a regulation catch at slips.
Shaw has been amongst the most talked-about player in Mumbai’s local circuit, alongside schoolmates Sarfaraz Khan and Armaan Jaffer, especially after having scored the record 546 in Harris Shield in 2013 – the then highest score in any form of organized cricket.
Today when contacted with Prithvi in Mumbai by xtratime.in the budding cricketers voice could be heard was one of full satisfaction and confidence. Prithvi said,”I got the news in the afternoon that i have been included in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team for the Ranji trophy Semifinal against Tamil Nadu. I am very happy with the news along with my Father. 2016 was a good year for me and hope to start the new year in good note and it will be excellent if i get a chance to debut for Mumbai which is my dream.”
Regarding the present Mumbai Ranji Trophy Squad Prithvi’s views were,”Mumbai is a very good side and I am eager to meet the senior players like Surya Kumar Yadav, Abhishek Nayar, Aditya Tare. I am also excited to meet the coach Chandrakant Pandit who i have heard is very disciplined coach and holds huge cricket experience and gather tips from him.”
Prithvi still remembers the day when he met Cricket legend and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar and his tips to him are still very precious to him. An overjoyed prithvi said,”I met Sachin Tendulkar four years ago when i was playing with his son Arjun in the same club team and he told me that to never allow any bowler to dominate my batting rather always to try to dominate the bowlers from the word go. This is something I still continue to do with my batting.”
Recently, Shaw was part of the India Under-19 side that won the Asia Cup. Even as he displayed good technique and stroked the ball well, he failed to convert his starts into big knocks, barring a knock of 89 against Malaysia. His scores apart from that were 5, 36, 22 and 39. When asked how has Rahul Dravid the team coach has influenced him to play better cricket Prithvi replied,”I got to stay with Rahul Sir for 22-23 days at the National camp and there learned lot from him. He said to carry on with my natural game and never to think about the team jersey am playing for. He also discussed a lot on match situations and how he controlled the match situations during his playing days. He also said not to worry about winning or losing a match but to prepare himself as a better cricketer each game we play.”
Prithvi stays with his Father in Santa Cruz east in Mumbai. He lost his mother when he was a toddler. It was his Father who was with him from his first days in cricket. His Father Pankaj Shaw who is a local garments businessman will not be attending the Semi-final game in Rajkot as he feels his son may fall into pressure in his presence. Pankaj said,”my son is growing up and i don’t want him to fall under any kind of pressure in my presence so i will not attend his debut game for Mumbai. I also pray to God that he gets a chance in the playing eleven to play on the semi-final match.”