Prithvi Shaw AFP
Prithvi Shaw AFP

Amid the ruins for Delhi Daredevils (DD) this season, there have been a few positives. Prithvi Shaw is certainly one of them. Playing in his maiden IPL season, the 18-year-old has become one of the talking points. He has played just 5 matches, smashed 205 runs at 41 and the runs have come at a strike rate of 171.

DD’s assistant coach, Pravin Amre, has seen Prithvi grow as a cricketer. Prithvi has been a big name in the Mumbai cricket circles, piling up tons of runs in junior cricket. Amre hailed young Prithvi as a special talent.

In the post-match conference after DD’s defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Amre said, “Prithvi is a special talent. I personally know him from Mumbai when he was a 14-year-old. He was making headlines even in his school days scoring 500 odd runs, and scored a hundred on first-class debut in the Ranji Trophy.”

“He also got four consecutive hundreds in First-Class cricket and that’s what matters to me and it tells about his maturity. How you play at the First-Class level is what really counts. He has done well in the Under 19 World Cup. This is a different platform and he has grabbed his opportunities and has shown that he can score at this level as well.”

Prithvi’s 36-ball 65 provided Delhi the ideal platform for a big total. However, they could not capitalise on Prithvi’s knock and managed just 163.

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“It was an important innings for the team. Looking at the bowling attack (of SRH) and the conditions, it was not an easy wicket to bat on… We got only 70 odd runs in the last ten overs and that is why his knock at the top was very important. He got us 95 in the first ten overs. He gave us a great foundation but we couldn’t capitalise,” Amre added.

Apparent weakness?

Experts, on Saturday, discussed about a weakness in Prithvi’s batting on how his back leg does not move in sync with his front and he can be found out at the top level. Amre does not look much into it.

“Every batsman has things to work on. To me he is scoring the runs. If he is struggling and getting caught in the slips, then the coach has got to work with him, but right now he is middling every single ball and striking very well. He is getting into great positions as well.

“Maybe he has to think about it (the technical adjustment) when he plays the red ball. But with the white ball, you can manage and score over 160 runs in a debut IPL season, it is something special.

“At the moment, we need not go too much into technique. What’s important now is how he’s striking the ball and how he can improve. He scored 60 odd this game, scoring 70 odd in the next game should be the next challenge for him,” Amre was quoted as saying in a report from Cricbuzz.