A new cricket prodigy is born

Young Prithvi Shaw keeps up India’s tradition of prodigies rising readymade for international cricket. The pattern of tall scores in hundreds in school cricket to debut centuries in the Ranji and Duleep Trophy is straight from Sachin Tendulkar’s playbook. Where the new Mumbai wonder can excel is as a modern batsman capable of adapting aggressive quick scoring to the long format too. While Sachin took a few Tests to find his feet, it seems those of the new generation arrive as even more evolved batsmen, with a more forceful approach. Prithvi Shaw’s century on his Test debut as the youngest Indian shows his vast potential. There is something to his stature and technique and the way he holds the bat that is redolent of Sachin, to which he adds a Sehwag-like eagle eye for free scoring chances.

The youngster should be judged on aesthetics than runs in a competitive environment, which the ragtag West Indies side is creating, though eons away from their halcyon days. Also, Prithvi’s propensity to play square on the off side, often in the air, suggests he must shape up if he’s facing higher quality attacks in more bowler-friendly conditions. For his confidence, it may have been better he made his appearance at home against the Windies than on the tough England tour. Assured of huge financial returns in today’s show business age, with huge payouts, Prithvi can well afford to single-mindedly chase the runs in all conditions to help Team India do better abroad in Tests and in contributing to winning ways in other formats.