Batsman Prithvi Shaw has relished the advice of former India captains Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid during a burgeoning international career.
Shaw has played four Tests and three ODIs since debuting for India in 2018. He will represent the Delhi Capitals in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League.
“Whenever Sachin is in Mumbai, I try and meet him. If I am practising and Sachin is free, he just comes to the nets and gives advice. Whenever I feel any discomfort with my batting or need any advice, he is someone who is always there for me. He has told me to feel free about calling or messaging him anytime. He has helped me a lot during my journey,” Shaw told the Times of India.
“Rahul has played a big role both in my cricketing life and life beyond the boundary rope. Being a disciplined sportsperson himself, Rahul talks about those things. I have really learnt a lot about the mental aspect of the game from him. A lot of things that I have learnt in the past three or four years during my Under-19 World Cup journey as well as India A, are due to him.”
Shaw at the Capitals
The 20-year-old Shaw, too, has appreciated the opportunity to play under the guidance of former Australian captain and current Capitals coach Ricky Ponting.
“It has been great fun. He's someone who has played international cricket for more than 15 years, scored tons of runs, and has handled pressure at the highest level consistently. He has done a great job with the Delhi Capitals. He is such a nice coach to have,” he added.
“Yes, I do keep in touch with him. Not on a regular basis, but sometimes, I do have a chat with him. He is a really good friend and never says that ‘I am your coach.' He always treats the Delhi Capitals as a family. I also learnt a lot from Sourav Ganguly, when he was with the Delhi Capitals.”
Previously named the Daredevils, the Delhi franchise have never won the IPL. The Mumbai Indians are the reigning champions. They beat the Chennai Super Kings in the 2019 final.