Prithvi Shaw takes counselling from Sachin Tendulkar on how to stay focussed on the game

He was expected to do what legend Sachin Tendulkar had done in Australia as an 18-year-old in 1991-92, slamming two memorable hundreds, including one at the WACA Ground, then considered to be the fastest wicket in the world. But Prithvi Shaw remained a doubtful starter despite showing glimpses of his classy touch in the side game in Sydney in which he also picked an injury.

A hurting ankle denied the sensational teenager an opportunity to take part in the historic four-Test series that India won 2-1. It was a real disappointment for the young batsman who looked so promising to deliver in his maiden tour Down Under.

Recently, Shaw, who hasn’t played a game since hitting that 66-run knock against Cricket Australia XI, met Tendulkar for a counseling session at the latter’s residence in Mumbai’s Bandra to regain the focus that had seen him making it to the national side in October last year.

Shaw, who was first called in the national side during India’s Test series in England last August but did not play a game, got his first Test against the Windies at home in October and he belted 134 the very first time he went out to bat.

Shaw was advised to meet Tendulkar on learning how to handle fame

He has played only two Tests so far, scoring another fifty and averages over 118 in the longer format at the moment. The man has already been compared with the legendary former India captain for having started to deliver at a very young age. However, there were also unofficial reports that the youngster was not paying enough attention to his fitness and also picking certain dubious habits.

As per a report in Mumbai Mirror, Shaw was given a pep talk by senior members of the team in Australia itself trying to make him understand that it is also important to know how to handle the fame that comes with scoring runs.

Shaw was then advised to meet his predecessor who, in his long cricketing career of 24 years, had never courted controversy and lost focus off the game and the discipline even when the team found itself in hard times. The 45-year-old reportedly spoke to Shaw on the challenges that modern cricketers face and how to deal with those situations and continue with an iron-hard focus on the game.

While Tendulkar decided not to speak over the session, Prithvi’s father Pankaj Shaw who single-handedly brought up his son who lost his mother at four, also refused to discuss the southpaw’s career with the media.

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