Prithvi Shaw Could Struggle In England Because Of His Footwork: Salman Butt

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt is sceptical of Prithvi Shaw being successful in England in the upcoming Test series, if he gets an opportunity, due to the opener’s rather static footwork. Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav were announced by the BCCI to join the Test squad in England as replacements for three injured players.

This is Suryakumar’s maiden call-up to the Test squad, while Shaw, who has featured in 5 Tests so far, returns to the Test fold after being dropped in Australia.

While Shaw is in a thunderous form in white-ball cricket this year, Salman Butt opined that the diminutive opener will face a sterner challenge against the moving Dukes ball in England. He stated that the 21-year-old will have to change his gung-ho approach to a subdued one and that the senior batters in the team would be needed to help Shaw in doing that.

“Prithvi Shaw has an opportunity in England to prove why many people rate him so highly. But he could struggle in England given that his footwork is not all that good. In England, even batsmen with the best of footwork sometimes have a tough time, especially when the ball swings,” Salman Butt said in his YouTube video.

“Prithvi Shaw is someone who likes to go hard at the ball and play brutal strokes. It is evident the way he bats that he enjoys belting the ball. But in England you have to be a bit careful. You cannot just take on the bowlers without taking into account the movement and the conditions. Prithvi Shaw will have to review this aspect of his game,” he added.

“World-class players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara are part of the Indian team in England. They should give Prithvi Shaw the right information on how to play in England. Hopefully, he will adjust. If he doesn’t, you will see what happens.”

You have to score big runs and hundreds to justify comparisons with Sehwag and Richards: Salman Butt

Since Prithvi Shaw burst onto the scene in the 2018 under-19 World Cup, followed by the IPL and international cricket, he has often been compared with the likes of Virender Sehwag and Sir Viv Richards owing to their similar attacking instincts.

Salman Butt, however, felt Shaw needs to first make big scores, instead of getting out after giving a strong start and win matches on his own to be talked in the same breath as the former legends.

“Some fans feel it is wrong to ask Prithvi Shaw to alter his game. They point out to Virender Sehwag and Viv Richards, who succeeded by playing their own brand of cricket. When you start producing results, you can stake a claim to a particular style of play being yours. You have to score big runs and hundreds to justify a different kind of mindset while batting,” the former Pakistani opener stated.

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