Sunil Gavaskar defends Prithvi Shaw after Mumbai snub
What's the story
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has defended Prithvi Shaw, who was recently dropped from Mumbai's squad for their third-round match against Tripura. The decision was reportedly taken due to Shaw's body fat percentage exceeding 35% and alleged disciplinary issues. Gavaskar voiced his support for Shaw in a column for Mid-Day, where he said that "weight and shape" shouldn't be the primary reasons for a player's exclusion from a team.
Fitness debate
Gavaskar questions criteria for player's fitness
Gavaskar admitted if Shaw's exclusion was due to attitude or discipline, it would be justified. But he vehemently disagreed with the notion of a player's weight being the deciding factor for their selection. He said cricket fitness isn't defined by one's waist but their ability to perform on the field. "It's whether you can score 150-plus runs and bat for a whole day or bowl 20-plus overs in a day," Gavaskar wrote.
Performance matters
Gavaskar cites Sarfaraz Khan's performance as an example
To bolster his argument further, Gavaskar pointed out the performance of Sarfaraz Khan. Although he doesn't have a lean physique, Khan scored a mind-boggling 150 in the second Test between India and England. "We have seen in the previous Test in Bengaluru how another player Sarfaraz Khan, whose weight and shape have also been discussed in the public domain, played a scintillating innings of 150," he said.
Career trajectory
Shaw's recent form and future prospects
Shaw's recent form hasn't been great either, with just one half-century in his last 15 innings since August. His 2023 and 2024 IPL seasons for Delhi Capitals were also underwhelming. In the current Ranji Trophy season, he could only score 59 runs in four innings before being dropped from Mumbai's squad. However, despite the setbacks, Gavaskar is optimistic about Shaw's return to form and future in cricket.