Sunil Gavaskar comes out in Prithvi Shaw's support amid fitness concerns
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar came out in Prithvi Shaw’s defence amid concerns over his weight and fitness. Shaw was back in the spotlight, but not for positive reasons, as he was dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad for their third-round clash against Tripura. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) did not specify the reason for Shaw’s exclusion in their announcement, instead naming 29-year-old left-handed opener Akhil Herwadkar as his replacement. Although Shaw had a rough start to the season with a series of low scores, it’s now been revealed that his omission is linked to concerns around his fitness and discipline. Gavaskar hoped that his exclusion should not be for being overweight.
“Speaking of domestic matches, defending Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai have dropped Prithvi Shaw from their team that is currently in Tripura. There have been mixed reports about his omission from the Ranji team. If it’s about his attitude, approach, and discipline, then it’s understandable, but hopefully, it has nothing to do with his weight, as one report seems to have suggested. That report suggested that he had 35 percent more body fat,” Gavaskar wrote in Mid-Day column.
The curious case of Prithvi Shaw: Read here
“Size of waist doesn’t determine cricket fitness”
The former India captain gave Sarfaraz Khan’s example that, despite being overweight, he managed to not only break into India’s playing XI but also scored a scintillating knock of 150 runs. Sarfaraz scored his maiden Test hundred during the 1st Test between India and New Zealand, which the hosts lost by 8 wickets despite the 27-year-old’s heroics alongside Rishabh Pant.
“We have seen in the previous Test in Bengaluru how another player Sarfaraz Khan, whose weight and shape have also been discussed in the public domain, played a scintillating innings of 150, showing that it is not the shape or the size of your waist that determines cricket fitness,” he added.
Gavaskar defends Shaw
Prithvi Shaw did not attend the team’s training sessions regularly, according to news agency PTI. The flamboyant batter was also found a “little overweight” and has been advised to work on his fitness for the next couple of weeks.
“It’s whether you can score 150-plus runs and that too bat for a whole day or bowl 20-plus overs in a day. That should be the only criteria of a player’s fitness. By the way, how many players with zero percent or minimal body fat have scored 379 like Prithvi Shaw? I rest my case about fitness,” he added.
