What exactly is Prithvi Shaw’s problem?

 

 By the time of your reading this one, Australia has won the first test match by 8 wickets. In my mind’s eye, I could see Virat Kohli packing his bags, preparing to leave for India for the birth of his first child.

 I still believe the Indian captain is the only one capable in the current lot to take the team forward after a performance which was lacking in intent but sadly, he will not take any further part in the series leaving severe headaches for Rahane & company to deal with. The Indian team was all out for a paltry 36 and the way they surrendered was unprecedented.

 One of the reasons why India lost was of course the start provided by the openers wasn’t good as it should have been… specially Prithvi Shaw the under-19 sensation.

 We have seen Rahul Dravid on many occasions and in Adelaide as well when in 2003 he singlehandedly won us a test match. Whenever Dravid played it appeared he treated every delivery with utmost respect be it his first or the last.

 Comparing the great Rahul Dravid to a rookie like Prithvi Shaw is not a great idea but the way Shaw was out in both the innings makes me wonder if he had retained the lessons from his mentor Dravid.

 For sake of clarity, lets break down Dravid’s playing of a certain delivery to something that we know of and have experienced many times in our lives which is a process of wanting to say something but we aren’t sure.

 What exactly happens?

 We feel like wanting to let out a piece of our mind … for starters we try to be comfortable by shuffling on the chair… may be then we clear our throat… raise the cup to the lips before dropping it down again… start with adding some fillers in the conversation…and may be then are courageous enough to offer the words we have in our minds.

 Rahul Dravid too possibly begins the same way perhaps thinking of ‘waiting’ before playing a shot.

 When the bowler begins to run in, Dravid prepares himself to wait. In his mind he probably isn’t sure what to offer to the delivery that will be bowled. When the ball leaves the hand, he offers a thorough scrutiny … adjusts his feet to firmly meet it… along with it adjusts the swing of the bat so that he offers a full face. He ensures that the bat is glued to the pads and meets the ball in his territory which is an area right under his eyes. The delivery is bowled at 90mph and all of this takes place in fraction of seconds but Dravid waits for eternity.

 Plainly he lets the ball come to him rather than going after it. He plays it as late as possible allowing the incoming delivery to reveal itself. Most deliveries are not even worth offering a contact.

 I wonder what is the state of Dravid’s mind when batting in his own non-violent fashion.

 Is his mind calm like an ocean or is it like a raging river with him cracking a whip to gain control? The missile hurled at him hits the bat, drops dead near his feet and I go with the former.

 With Shaw, on the first day, a really fast delivery from Mitchell Starc pitched just outside the off stump and nipped back in at furious pace. Shaw had already committed to playing a shot with an angled bat, missed the incoming delivery opening the gate between the bat and the pad. The world saw it and so did Pat Cummins as he took a ditto wicket in the second innings. The ball in both cases rattled the stumps and Shaw's confidence.

 On both occasions, it was evident the youngster wanted to move on… quickly. I have never seen Dravid play that way wanting to move on… even at the start of his career. He always excelled at playing the waiting game. Shaw didn’t want to wait and he didn’t as he was quickly walking back to the pavilion.

 Sunil Gavaskar said that the batsman should ensure the bat comes down in line with the pads and closer to the body. When that happens the bat while playing a shot meets the incoming delivery with a full face. It will also help the batsman leave the ball if it’s away from him specially on a wicket which helps the bowlers.

 Was a great player (Gavaskar) describing the batting of another great (Dravid)? No… he was describing a perfect text book shot perhaps the same book Dravid had modelled his batting on.

 As the cavalcade moves to Melbourne for the boxing day test match, Shaw may not find himself in the playing eleven. I think he would never find himself on that list till he is willing to become tedious, get his hands dirty and play a waiting game.

 As far as we are concerned, let’s prepare ourselves to wait for Shaw to turn up soon after having bridged that gap.

 Let’s just play a waiting game before writing him off.

  

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