Prithvi Shaw’s exclusion from the T20I squad has been quite a controversial decision for all cricket fans. The right-hand batter has lit up the domestic circuit with his performances still however he wasn’t picked for the team and that has rattled many cricket fans as well.
The young player seems to be paying the price of failing a doping test in 2019. Former India player Gautam Gambhir however has slammed the board and management for letting a player of Shaw’s class go to waste.
“What are coaches there for? What are selectors there for?” Gambhir asked. “Not to just select the squad or probably to do those throw-downs or make them ready for the game. Ultimately, it’s the selectors and coaches and management who should try and help these guys. Someone like Prithvi Shaw, we all know the kind of talent he has. Probably they should get him on the right track and that is what one of the jobs of management is,” Gambhir said on Star Sports. Gambhir suggested Rahul Dravid or one of the selectors to have a word with the player and give him clarity.
“I feel that if that’s the case [fitness and lifestyle issues], someone – whether it’s Rahul Dravid or the chairman of selectors – should actually have a word with him, give him clarity and keep him around the group. People who should be on the right path should be around the group, so that they are monitored better. Because the moment you leave them apart, they can go all over the place.
“Someone like a Prithvi Shaw, the kind of start he had to his international career and the kind of talent he has, you back a player on talent. Yes, you have to look at the upbringing as well – where he comes from and the challenges he’s had as well. It makes even more sense for the management and the selectors to keep him around the mix, and help him get on the right track,” Gambhir added.
You’ve got to give a young boy at least one chance- Gambhir
The former player however also called for dedication and discipline from Shaw.
“If you’re dedicated and passionate enough to play for the country, you’ve got to be able to get all the parameters right, whether it’s the fitness or discipline as well. It’s got to be both ways. You’ve got to give a young boy at least one chance or a couple of chances, and if he still doesn’t do that, then he’s not passionate enough to play for the country and probably you can look beyond him.”
“But if he’s willing to put in the hard yards – and I know how destructive he can be; if he can go on to win games for you, whether it’s trainers, management, head coach or chairman of selectors, all these guys should take the onus to try and get these young boys walk on the right path,” Gambhir said.
