Aakash Chopra believes Prithvi Shaw’s destructive batsmanship cannot be replicated by any other Indian batsman.
Prithvi Shaw tore the Sri Lankan bowling attack apart in the first ODI on Sunday (18 July). The dashing opener smashed 43 runs off just 24 deliveries, including nine hits to the fence.
Aakash Chopra Is A Huge Fan Of Prithvi Shaw Because One Doesn’t Get A Batsman Like That In Entire India
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was lavish with his praise for Prithvi Shaw. The former Indian opener said that he is a big fan of Prithvi Shaw who reminds everyone of former dashing swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag.
“It seemed the momentum will be with Sri Lanka but Prithvi came, Prithvi ‘Shaw’, Prithvi conquered. He is from a different planet. I am a huge Prithvi Shaw fan because you will not get a batsman like that in entire India.”
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Prithvi Shaw had carried on with the form he had shown in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the first half of IPL 2021.
“Viru (Virender Sehwag) used to be there but this player, 43 runs in just 24 balls, and it seemed without breaking a sweat, without taking chances, only on the rise and through the gap. I mean what a player. 2021 has been in this player’s name, from the Vijay Hazare Trophy to the IPL to now.”
Aakash Chopra: Prithvi Shaw Wasted The Opportunity To Convert Good Positive Start To A Substantial Knock
“However, when he got hit on the head, he got a little rattled and then played a bad shot to get out. He will think about this, that these 43 runs are pretty and explosive but people tend to forget 40-odd runs.”
The 43-year signed off by pointing out that Prithvi Shaw had wasted an opportunity to play a substantial knock. In this regard, Aakash Chopra said that he should not have missed the chance.
“He had a chance today to convert it into 140. You have let that chance slip away from your hands.”
Prithvi Shaw was struck on the helmet by a Dushmantha Chameera bouncer. He was dismissed off the very next delivery he faced, caught at long-on off Dhananjaya de Silva while going for a big shot.
Chasing 263 for victory on a good pitch, the tourists won by seven wickets with 80 balls to spare. Prithvi Shaw’s 24-ball 43 provided early momentum and ODI debutant Ishan Kishan’s 42-ball 59 took the game away from Sri Lanka. Shikhar Dhawan anchored the chase with an unbeaten 86 off 95 balls but before the batsmen did their job, India’s spinners unsettled the opponents.
This was Prithvi Shaw’s first 50-over international in about 18 months. In batting-friendly conditions, the 21-year-old didn’t have the fear of his exaggerated hand movement impeding his natural game. In 4 ODIs, he has 127 runs averaging 31.75 and this 43 is his highest score to date, and the in-form batsman would like to make amends to his below-par average in his brief ODI career.