Not yet time to compare Prithvi Shaw with Sehwag, says Ganguly

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday, October 4, hailed the debut Test ton by Prithvi Shaw calling it “marvellous”, but he refused to compare the sensational debutante with Virender Sehwag yet. The 18-year-old became the 15th Indian to score a century on debut, a feat which was also achieved by Sehwag 17 years ago.

India are cruising in their first innings, thanks to a 206-run partnership between Shaw (134) and Cheteshwar Pujara (86). Captain Virat Kohli notched his 24th Test ton and was being accompanied by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant who scored 92 runs. Shaw became the youngest Indian batsman to score a century on debut and also the second-youngest opener to do so.

“Don’t compare him with Sehwag. Sehwag was an absolute genius. Let him go around the world, I am sure he will get runs in Australia, England, and South Africa but don’t compare him with Sehwag,” Ganguly was quoted as saying to reporters on the sidelines of Tata Steel 25K marathon run launch in Kolkata.

‘A phenomenal day for Shaw’

“It must be a phenomenal day for him. To get a hundred on Test debut..he has got a Ranji Trophy hundred on debut, he has got a Duleep trophy debut hundred and an India debut hundred, so it’s phenomenal,” the former southpaw said.

Ganguly himself also scored a debut hundred in Tests against England in an away series in 1996. He though fell a little short of matching Shaw’s scoring debut hundreds in Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy as well as in Tests.
“I didn’t have a Ranji Trophy debut hundred. But I had a Duleep Trophy debut hundred and then India debut hundred,” the 46-year-old said.

Asked if Shaw’s rise will see India finding an answer to their opening woes in Tests, Ganguly said one has to wait and see how he performs in the long run. He said Shaw is expected to do well in Australia since he is a good back foot player.

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