Prithvi Shaw's Promising Debut Overshadowed by Puzzling Decline

Prithvi Shaw’s Promising Debut Overshadowed by Puzzling Decline

Prithvi Shaw, hailed as India’s next cricketing prodigy, made a grand entrance into international Test cricket with a scintillating century on debut. However, his promising start was marred by a puzzling decline in form, leaving fans and experts alike baffled.

Shaw’s early career was marked by remarkable achievements. He joined an elite group of Indian players to score a century on their Test debut, alongside legends like Rohit Sharma and Sourav Ganguly. He also held the record for the highest individual score in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for several years.

Despite these early accolades, Shaw struggled to maintain consistency at the highest level. His form dipped inexplicably, raising questions about his technique and mental fortitude.

India’s return to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 was highly anticipated. However, Shaw’s performance in the first match was a major disappointment. He was dismissed for a duck by Mitchell Starc on the second delivery, setting a challenging tone for the series.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting analyzed Shaw’s batting technique, identifying a weakness against inswinging deliveries. Shaw’s lack of front foot movement created a gap between his bat and pad, which the Australian bowlers exploited ruthlessly.

Shaw’s struggles continued in the second innings, where he was dismissed by Pat Cummins in a similar fashion. His technical flaw was exposed, and he was subsequently dropped from the Indian Test team.

Despite his early promise, Shaw’s career has been marked by inconsistency and technical deficiencies. His inability to overcome these challenges has prevented him from fulfilling his potential and becoming the star that many had predicted.