Prithvi Shaw gave India a blistering start against Sri Lanka in the first ODI on Sunday, 18 July. He won the Player of the Match for his knock of 43 runs of 24 balls. The U19 World Cup-winning captain scored nine fours in his knock and took opening bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Isuru Udana to cleaners.
Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar urged people to refrain from putting pressure on the young batsman to get big 100s provided he gives India brisk starts as he did in the first ODI. The former batsman believes that the 40s and 50s Shaw gives is worth its weight in gold and talked about the impact it creates.
"I hope we don't, typically like we do in India, put pressure on a young player, saying he has got to get a hundred," Manjrekar told Sony Sports.
"That 40 (43) he got today put India in a winning position after that; India wasn't going to lose even if they tried. I am happy with him getting 40s and 50s at the strike rate, provided there is enough batting after that. And it seemed like he wasn't looking to play that way, but it was just happening. Ishan Kishan played a little differently, bordering on being frenetic." He added.
Sanjay Manjrekar said that Prithvi will eventually get bigger scores and said that his innings helped India win the match inside 37 overs.
"Eventually, he will start getting the big scores, but I don't think the pressure should be put on him straight away that he has got to convert his starts into hundreds. Getting a hundred in ODI cricket, if you're a good player batting at the top, you get hundreds. But winning is important.
"The impact of Prithvi Shaw's innings, India chased down the target of 263 with 13.2 overs to spare. That's a statement," Manjrekar added.
Prithvi Shaw is a contender to be in the squad that will represent India at the ICC T20I World Cup later this year.
