‘Pujara sir can’t bat like me’ – Prithvi Shaw makes surprising comparison to justify style of play amidst poor run of form

Prithvi Shaw, once hailed as a rising star in Indian cricket, has recently found himself at the bottom of the pecking order. The young opener had a sensational debut in Tests, scoring a century against West Indies. However, inconsistency and poor form have plagued Shaw in recent years, leading to his exclusion from the Indian team and a disastrous performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Delhi Capitals.

In the IPL 2023 season, Shaw struggled immensely, managing only 106 runs in eight matches, with his highest score being 54 in a single game. Consequently, he was dropped from the Delhi Capitals squad due to his poor outings. Following his IPL disappointment, Shaw made a comeback in the Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone, but could only register scores of 26 and 25 in two innings.

Addressing his poor form, Shaw acknowledged the need to be “smarter” in his gameplay. While he believed that he didn’t have to change his natural aggressive style, he acknowledged the importance of making intelligent decisions on the field. Shaw drew a comparison between his approach and that of Cheteshwar Pujara, emphasizing that each player had their own unique batting style.

“Personally, I feel I don’t have to change my game, but a little smarter than what I am. I can’t bat like Pujara sir bats or Pujara sir can’t bat like me,” Shaw said, as quoted by PTI. He continued, “So, what I am trying to do are those things that have brought me here till, for example, the aggressive batting, I don’t like to change that.”

Good in red-ball, not so much in white-ball

Shaw remained confident in his red ball form, asserting that he had been performing well in longer formats, especially in Test cricket. He mentioned his conversations with cricketing stalwarts like Sourav Ganguly, Ricky Ponting, and Praveen Amre, who have provided guidance during his time with the Delhi Capitals. Shaw highlighted that red ball cricket is the true test of a player’s abilities and determines their readiness for higher levels of the game.

“Everything has been going nice in red ball cricket from last year itself after I scored 370 (379 vs Assam). With white ball, especially the IPL, I feel everything is going the opposite. You just have 20 overs to think about batting. I speak to Sourav (Ganguly) sir, Ricky (Ponting) sir and Praveen (Amre) sir (in Delhi Capitals). But red ball cricket is where you get tested and shows how capable you are to get into the bigger level,” Shaw signed off.

While many young batters like Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have managed to secure spots in the Indian team, Shaw’s struggle for consistency has pushed him further down the ladder. However, the talented opener remains determined to overcome his challenges and reclaim his position in the Indian side.