I'd better be grounded: Prithvi Shaw

Chennai: Ever since Prithvi Shaw burst on to the domestic circuit as a precarious talent, the Mumbai teenager has been hailed as the next Sachin Tendulkar. The expectations have only grown after he led India to the U-19 World Cup triumph recently.   

“Expectations will be there from outside the field. People have been comparing me to Sachin sir, but I know my game and I had better be grounded because he is the god of cricket. I have not even started and it’s going to be a long journey,” said the 18-year-old who isin the city to represent Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare trophy.

Prithvi has scored five centuries in nine first-class matches. And, last year he became the youngest player to score a hundred on Duleep Trophy debut, a record previously held by Sachin. A brilliant stroke-maker, Prithvi is tipped to turn out for the senior national team as opener in the near future. When asked whether he feels equipped to complete the graduation, Prithvi said: “I think so. But I have to keep scoring runs. I believe opportunities will come my way and I have to grab them to be there in the senior team.”

Prithvi said he learnt a lot about the mental aspects of the game from India U-19 coach Rahul Dravid. “He doesn’t talk much about technique. He helps the team prepare on the mental side through his positive words and vibes. There are no negative talks before the match or practice,” he added.

In the upcoming IPL season, Prithvi will represent Delhi Daredevils who snapped him up for Rs 1.2 crore. “I was not worried about IPL auction as the focus was on the U-19 semi-final against Pakistan. I don’t think there will be pressure on me during the IPL,” he said.

As Prithvi walked in to open in the final, a couple of Australian players were spotted sledging the Indian skipper. “These things keep happening. I don’t even remember what they were saying. I was concentrating on my game and didn’t pay attention to it,” he added.