Prithvi Shaw recalls recent episode with Sachin Tendulkar: 'Sahi track pe aa ja, I still believe in you'

Prithvi Shaw recalls recent episode with Sachin Tendulkar (BCCI Photo)

In the year 2014, Prithvi Shaw, who was fifteen years old, was just appearing on the scene. In his second year of teenage, Shaw was scoring runs everywhere. Shaw lit up every event he participated in, to the point where he was immediately hailed as India's "next Sachin Tendulkar". Despite his modest upbringing, Shaw's potential set him on the path to success, making him the child prodigy to look out for. Shaw gained popularity in 2013 after smashing 546 in a Harris Shield match. Four years later, he made his Ranji Trophy debut with a century.

And he was living up to the expectations for the longest period. Shaw led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup at the age of 18. The team included Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, and Abhishek Sharma, all of whom went on to play for India. Shaw was called up to the national team that same year, and he furthered his promise by hitting a century in his Test debut against West Indies. Shaw even joined the Australian tour, but he was unable to play after suffering a freak injury during a practice match. Despite his ups and downs, Shaw continued to return to the Indian fold.

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Shaw was still considered by the selectors even after his notorious ban for using cough syrup. After being cut from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad, Shaw went unsold at the IPL mega-auction. Speculation about his lack of discipline surfaced once more.

The renowned Tendulkar was among the few who sought out to Shaw after he acknowledged that his attention had strayed from cricket because of some bad company.

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"Sachin sir knows about my journey. Arjun and I have been friends since we were 8-9 years old. We’ve played together, grown up together. Sir was also there sometimes. I had a word with him hardly two months ago. He was practicing at the MIG and I was there too. I spoke to him then.

"When things go awry and you drift away, you need that mentor, who can light a spark within you. He still believes in me. He said 'Prithvi, I still believe in you, and I'll continue to do so'. Because he has seen me grow up. Even today, he tells me 'Sahi track pe aa ja, jaise pehle tha' (Come back on the same track as earlier). Everything is possible in the next 13-14 years. So he believes in me and that means a lot," Shaw told News24 in an interview.