Former national selector Jatin Paranjape shared his verdict on the situation surrounding India National Cricket Team batter Prithvi Shaw. He listed three things the young batter should do to get back his reputation as a player.
Prithvi Shaw, who in his early days was touted as the next Sachin Tendulkar, has been witnessing a massive downfall in his career. From being rated as a generational talent to being nowhere in the scenes, even in the domestic circuit, speaks a lot about his struggles.
When he came into the scenes, he set the stage on fire, and with the way he put big strides forward, it was almost certain that he would be the future of the Indian batting lineup. He did live up to the expectations early on, but his off-field antics after that, along with his performances, led to his downfall.
Prithvi Shaw, who slammed a century on his Test debut, seemed to have locked his place in the team across the formats. But after his injury couldn’t make a return to the team. His off-field antics, too, didn’t work against him as he faced many disciplinary charges, too, which kept him on the sidelines.
Prithvi Shaw was recently dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji team due to fitness and disciplinary issues
Prithvi Shaw was recently dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji team due to fitness and disciplinary issues as well. He made a comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25, but that, too, isn’t going in his favor as he has failed in all four games, including two ducks.
With Prithvi Shaw struggling to get going, Jatin Paranjape said that the batter needs to have an organized mind. Along with that, he needs to work on his game against spin. The former India selector said that the young batter needs to work on his fitness as well.
At 25, he still has time to make a comeback – Jatin Paranjape on Prithvi Shaw
While stressing that Prithvi Shaw still can make his comeback, Paranjape said that the batter needs to shed his weight. He also urged Mumbai Batter to work with Ramji Srinivasan for 10 days and focus on his transformation. Writing in his column for Sportstar, he explained:
“Firstly, he needs to have an organised mind. Secondly, he needs to have an organised game against spin. Thirdly, he needs to have an organised approach to his fitness conditioning. Getting organised is pretty much the headline for the way he should be going about things. This is certainly a crossroads moment for him. It’s not a point of no return at all because he has age on his side. At 25, he still has time to make a comeback.
“If I were Prithvi, I would quickly evaluate and conclude that fitness is a major missing piece in his game. Without it, his future in cricket is uncertain. I would stress this aspect: if he can lose between 7 to 10 kilograms of body weight without losing strength, that would be a crucial start. If I were in his position, I would camp in Chennai with Ramji Srinivasan for 10 days and completely dedicate the next two or three years to this transformation. The results would begin to show in the next 45 to 60 days.”
He needs to emulate legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli – Jatin Paranjape on Prithvi Shaw
Jatin Paranjape added that Prithvi Shaw looks tired against spinners, pointing out that every spinner has managed to get him out. He added that Mumbai batter needs to emulate legends like Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar, who never end their love for the game despite being successful. He explained:
“I have often told him that he seems overly generous with his wicket, particularly against spinners. Almost every domestic spinner in India has managed to get him out. He needs to reevaluate his game against spin. His game itself isn’t lacking — he can play shots on both sides of the wicket with ease. But by the time spin comes into play, his feet are tired, and that ties back to his fitness,”
“Having known him for a long time, I believe Prithvi loves batting. He needs to emulate legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, who, despite their immense success, continue playing for the sheer love of the game. Kohli, for example, is like a kid in a toy shop on the field. That passion is essential.”
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