Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Prithvi Shaw: pocket-rocket Indian batsmen standing just 165 centimetres tall, but huge on talent.
Sunil Gavaskar was the first Test batsman to crack the 10,000-run barrier, Sachin Tendulkar the leading Test run-getter with 15,921 and 51 Test centuries, and yesterday Prithvi Shaw became the youngest Indian to score a Test ton on debut.
Gavaskar and Tendulkar have both retired and rightfully earned legend status, and while Prithvi is a long way from joining them, it was one helluva start.
Gavaskar debuted at 21 opening up against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1971 with two impressive digs of 65 and 67 not out, with India winning by seven wickets.
Tendulkar debuted at 16 against Pakistan at Karachi batting six in 1989, bowled by Waqar Younis for 15, his only dig in a drawn Test.
Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo by Duif du Toit / Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Not only did Prithvi debut at 18 with a flawless 134 off 154 deliveries with 19 superbly struck boundaries, it was his very first day as India’s newest Test opening batsman.
He cruised past 50 off 56 deliveries with seven fours, and reached his three figures off just 99 with 15 fours, with shots all round the wicket.
Prithvi lost his opening partner Lokesh Rahul for a duck in the opening over, but enjoyed a 206-run second wicket stand with Cheteshwar Pujara (86) off 256 deliveries.
It wasn’t until 134 he made his first mistake, lifting a drive from leggie Davendra Bishoo into the bowler’s safe hands.
Prithvi just stood there gobsmacked, looking to the sky rolling his eyes, he couldn’t believe his debut was over, he never looked like getting out.
There’s a very good reason for that reaction, Prithvi is an accumulator at speed.
As a very small 14-year-old he set an Indian schoolboy record, smacking 546 off just 330 deliveries with 85 fours, and five sixes.
In an understatement, Prithvi said – “It was a very good score for me, and my team.
“Our coach just asked me to concentrate on every ball.
“The only plan was to score as many runs as I could, I wasn’t thinking about a record, but it feels good”.
Prithvi shared a second wicket stand of 619 with Satyalash Jain (164), to give his school Rizvi Springfield an 899 first innings lead.
Mind boggling numbers for kids.
The accumulation has continued for Mumbai as a first-class cricketer.
In just 14 games, Prithvi has scored 1418 at 56.72, with seven centuries, and five half-centuries.
Prithvi Shaw celebrates his maiden Test century.
It is crystal clear Prithvi Shaw is well on his way to stardom, he’s just passed his sternest test with flying colours.
There could be another Indian accumulator in the wings.
Two years ago 15-year-old Pranav Dhanawade smashed Prithvi’s schoolboy record with an unbeaten 1009 off only 327 deliveries with 129 fours, and 59 sixes – taking a mere 354 minutes.
Excuse me – 1009 not out?
His team declared at 3-1465 and dismissed the opposition for 31 and 52 to win by an innings and 1382.
Imagine the opposition kids arriving home and being asked how did you go?
We just got beaten by 1382 runs would have been greeted with disbelief, even in cricket-mad India.
But there’s one more string to the disbelief bow: Pranav Dhanawade hasn’t been heard of since his four-figure onslaught.
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