From breaking a century in his Test debut until his technique was called into question and dropped at the India XI, young Prithvi Shaw has seen many ups and downs in his short international career. The first test against Australia in Adelaide seemed to be the tip of the iceberg. Not only did Shaw miss the bat, recording a second duck ball and 4 in both innings, but the 20-year-old even made a catch on the field.
He has received the backing of a few, while those who clamored for his ax were many more. Unfortunately, Shaw was eliminated from Playing XI for the Boxing Day Test that India announced on Friday, and his spot went to teammate Shubman Gill. During one of Shaw’s lowest ebbs, last year’s doping ban, it was revealed that the youngster had a conversation with the great Sachin Tendulkar about discipline and how to improve his game.
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Now, almost a year later, Tendulkar once again intervened in Shaw and his performance in Adelaide. By identifying the problem in Shaw, the former India hitter acknowledges that the India starter’s big kick is what is proving to be his undoing.
“With Prithvi, I feel like it’s the throwback. I feel his hands move away from his body and then enter. So it is a shovel, rather than a pendulum or a cradle, that goes in a straight line. But what is happening because his hands are far away and then he goes down … he goes straight down but if the ball goes through the surface, that’s when the problems are created, ”Tendulkar said on his YouTube channel.
“It’s not just about balls coming in, but when a hitter isn’t playing well, I’m not just talking about Prithvi, it’s about any hitter who’s not in good shape, and he has that kind of kickback, because when you’re scooping, you miss the timing and hit the ball on the outside or inside. When you’re hitting well, your timing will be right, but when you’re not, the straighter kick helps. “
Tendulkar explained how kickback aside, footwork remains a concern for Shaw as well. In the second inning of the Adelaide Test, Shaw’s front foot was in the air while he was in the middle of the shot, throwing him off balance and the ball flying between his bat and the pad to rattle the stumps. But the real problem here lies in the minds of the hitters, Tendulkar adds.
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“In the second inning, I felt like I was stuck in motion. There were several batters who were caught on the move. They were slow to play the ball, just a fraction. That can happen because there are many things in your head. Here again if you see him, because he had so many things on his mind, he took a fraction to get to the ball because if he realizes, his foot was in the air in the second inning, ”said the former India. Batsman explained.
“People talk about footwork, but it’s not about the bowler’s body. The footwork is in your mind, in your head. So if you are not thinking correctly, your lower body will not follow directions. When there are multiple things on your head, it will affect your footwork. It’s in the mind. “
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