India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has come out in defence of Mumbai batter Prithvi Shaw, who was omitted from the team’s Ranji Trophy squad due to fitness concerns.
The out-of-favour India batter was dropped from the defending Ranji Trophy champions’ squad for their third-round match against Tripura. The Indian Express had reported that Shaw was asked by the Mumbai Cricket Association selectors to follow two weeks of a fitness programme prepared by MCA trainers.
The team management had informed MCA that Shaw’s body contains 35 per cent fat and he needs rigorous training before he gets back into the side.
The 24-year-old Shaw has had a poor start to his domestic season, scoring 59 runs in the first two Ranji Trophy games. Shaw had struck a second-inning 76 in Mumbai’s season-opening Irani Cup win in Lucknow before facing a slump.
However, Gavaskar defended Shaw, arguing that waist size isn’t the only indicator of cricketing fitness. He drew parallels between Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan, who recently scored his maiden Test hundred against New Zealand in Bengaluru.
