IPL 2018: Prithvi Shaw Credits Ricky Ponting For Stellar Maiden IPL Season
Prithvi Shaw has enhanced his reputation by leaps and bounds with his sensational performances in his maiden Indian Premier League. The youngster got a chance in the playing towards the mid of the tournament and did not take long to cement his place in the playing eleven.
The right-handed batsman ended the tournament with an impressive 245 runs in nine games. The runs came at a healthy strike rate of 153.12. More than the runs, it was his attitude that left one and all impressed. Despite it being his first IPL season, the 18-year-old showed no signs of nerves, taking some of the best bowlers including Mitchell Johnson, to cleaners. Unfortunately, his season came to an early end as Delhi Daredevils failed to make it to the playoffs.
In a recent event, Shaw revealed how Daredevils coach Ricky Ponting played a big role in shaping his success in the cash-rich league.
“Ponting was a big inspiration. He was really ruling all of us, not in a literal sense, but in a good way. The advice that he gave me was to just enjoy your game. When I made my IPL debut, I was nervous. Though this wasn’t the first time I was playing in a match which was being telecast live, but to have 40,000 people in stadium around me and all the cameras focused on me made me nervous. However, after hearing Ponting’s positive words, I did well and enjoyed myself,” he said while interacting with kids during an event.
Shaw, who led India to Under-19 World Cup this year, further said that he came out of th matured and ready to face bigger challenges.
“IPL is a different experience. When you play for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, you face the same bowler next year. But in the IPL, you face bowlers of different calibre. You face the likes of Mitchell Johnson. You see an international batsman like AB de Villiers. It was the best opportunity that I could’ve thought of.
“What I have learned from the IPL is that in your life, you will face some difficult situations and you’ve to get out of them on your own. When 40,000 people are shouting (in a stadium), the coach can’t tell you what to do. You’ve to do it on your own. That maturity, which I wasn’t having, those things I’ve got now,” he said.
Shaw’s last outing against the Mumbai Indians at the Feroz Shah Kotla left a sore taste in the mouth. He drew some flak for getting run out in a careless manner during his final IPL match. However, he brushed it aside by saying:
I thought that the ball was further than it actually was from stumps. Ponting sir told me that those kind of mistakes happen.”
