Prithvi Shaw oozed class on Saturday as he took the attack to New Zealand’s new-ball bowlers in the 1st session of the 2nd Test in Christchurch.
Prithvi Shaw pulled, drove and left with complete authority as he brought up his maiden fifty overseas on a green top at the Hagley Oval after India were sent into bat by Kane Williamson who trumped Virat Kohli at the toss.
India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Day 1: Live Updates
The signs were ominous for India as a slight drizzle caused a 45-minute delay before the toss. When the covers were removed, a green pitch with a thick cover of grass welcomed the 2 sides. And when Virat Kohli lost the toss, there were a few nerves, given how the visitors folded up in both the innings of the 1st Test.
However, Prithvi Shaw’s confident start should have settled the nerves in the dressing room. The young opener dominated the New Zealand attack with an array of eye-catching strokes.
Prithvi Shaw got to his fifty in just 61 balls and reached the milestone with a big six of Neil Wagner. Shaw though failed to get going as he perished while driving a wide delivery from Kyle Jamieson just before Lunch on Day 1.
However, Prithvi Shaw got a pat on his back from captain Virat Kohli as he walked back to the hut after a confident fifty that set the tone for India in the 2nd Test.
As it turns out, Prithvi Shaw has become the 2nd youngest Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to hit a fifty in Tests in New Zealand.
Youngest Indian batsmen to hit Test fifty in New Zealand
Sachin Tendulkar in 1990 – 16 years and 291 days
Prithvi Shaw in 2020 – 20 years and 112 days
Atul Wasan in 1990 – 21 years and 336 days
Brijesh Patel in 1976 – 23 years 81 days
Sandeep Patil in 1981 – 24 years and 187 days
Very impressed with Prithvi Shaw: VVS Laxman
Former India batsman VVS Laxman said he is very impressed with the way Prithvi Shaw batted on Sunday in Christchurch.
“I am very impressed with young Prithvi Shaw. The way he approached his innings after the way he got out in Wellington showed he worked on that. Some of the shots he played, especially through the mid-off region. It shows that he has got tremendous talent and also he can identify what went wrong and rectify that,” Laxman told Star Sports.
There were some doubts over Prithvi Shaw’s batting technique after he was dismissed cheaply in both the innings of India’s 10-wicket loss in Wellington.
However, young Prithvi has managed to silence his critics by coming up with a dominant knock on Saturday. Prithvi was leaving the ball well and got his feet moving better than the 1st Test. He was able to get behind the moving ball when playing defensive shots and was rarely squared up.
Notably, Prithvi Shaw got the backing of his captain after the failures in the 1st Test.
“It is just a matter of understanding the pace of the wicket and conditions as soon as possible. Again, when he (Shaw) is in a clear frame of mind, he is very, very destructive. Once he feels that he can do it, I think it will be a different ball game. The mindset can shift very quickly,” Kohli said ahead of the 2nd Test.
With Shubman Gill waiting in the wings, Prithvi got the nod ahead of the former and, it is safe to say, he has repaid the faith his captain showed in him.
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