Prithvi Shaw describes winning the World Cup as the best feeling he ever had in his life

India defeated Australia in the finals to win the U19 World Cup for the 4th time.

Prithvi Shaw thanks Indian fans after winning the World Cup | Getty

India U19 captain Prithvi Shaw found himself on cloud nine after the World Cup win, as India defeated Australia in the finals by 8 wickets to lift the trophy for the fourth time.

Shaw, who has already made quite a name for himself in world cricket, thanks to his comparisons with Tendulkar after his domestic cricket gains this season; talked to the Indian Express about what it meant for him to win the trophy and how Rahul Dravid has influenced them all during this journey.

Talking about the after effects of winning the title, Shaw said, “It was a long day and long night. Who wants to sleep after winning the World Cup. We all waited for this. I didn’t even look at my phone (after the win) and only saw all the congratulatory messages in the morning. I tried to get in touch with my father but his phone was switched off. I am sure it was a busy day for him too.

Talking about his feelings on becoming a World Cup winning captain, Shaw exclaimed, “It is a big thing for me and for each and everyone who is part of this squad. One doesn’t experience such days often. I’m really happy about the way we played cricket during the tournament. Be it bowling, batting or fielding, we had such talented players that it made the captain’s job easy.

It was best feeling I ever had in my life. Winning the World Cup for India has been a dream and I have achieved it at the Under-19 level. I want to do the same at the senior level but there is still a long way for that. Soon we won’t be teenagers anymore and will enter a man’s world,” continued Shaw.

Talking about captaincy, Shaw said, “Captaincy made me more responsible on and off the field. I really enjoyed captaining this bunch of lads and they really supported me to throughout this journey. When you are leading the side, one has to be more focused. I have captained my state as well my school teams.

Shaw and Dravid | Getty

Talking about the influence that coach Rahul Dravid has had on the team, Shaw said, “He is legend but he created such an environment that we could talk to him like a friend. He is such a simple man. The way he carries himself is remarkable. After the win he told us to remain grounded. On a personal level, Dravid told me that an opener’s contribution is key because it will help achieve a big target or help set a big target. So your wicket is important in all formats.

Explaining why he wears no. 100 on his jersey, Shaw said, “I like the number. In Hindi (sau) it sounds like my surname Shaw.

 

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 05 Feb, 2018

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