NEW DELHI: As Prithvi Shaw was overlooked for the ongoing ODI series against England despite performing well in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, former India batsman VVS Laxman hailed the player, terming him “match-winner” and said he is sure that the youngster will get his opportunity.
Shaw scored mammoth 800-plus runs in 8 innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy but still failed to book a spot in India’s ODI squad.
“Again, I think, definitely, the way Prithvi Shaw performed, and probably as a captain, he led Mumbai to win the Vijay Hazare Trophy. I think he deserves to be a part of the ODI squad but the way the selectors have gone about selecting the squad is whoever have been performers, they have made a sort of a line or a queue. Prithvi Shaw, at the moment, is behind in the queue because we have Shubman Gill, who has done really well in international cricket, in the opportunity he has got recently,” Laxman said.
“Plus, you have experience openers in the form of KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, and you can only have probably three or four openers in the squad. I am sure Prithvi Shaw will get his opportunity. What really impressed me was that he worked on his technique. It is not only about his performances, but there were some issues with his technique and that is something which he has worked on in the Vijay Hazare and he has been consistent. He is a match-winner and I am sure he will get his opportunity,” he added.
Jonny Bairstow might have played a 94-run knock, but India bowlers came back strongly to hand hosts a 66-run victory in the first ODI of the three-match series against England on Tuesday here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
With this win, India has gone 1-0 up in the three-match series. Both teams will now lock horns in the second ODI on Friday.