The New Prithvi Missile From Mumbai

Prithvi Shaw’s bat has scythed through opponents. It cannot stop the plunder now.

- Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Yet another (potential) master willow-wielder heaves in sight. Prithvi Shaw, India’s new batting sensation, turned 18 on Nov ember 9. He has already shattered records and set mile stones, from school tournaments to Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy. After massive scores in local inter-school tournaments, he is now consolidating his position as an opening batsman for Mumbai in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Take a look at his record so far. In five matches, since making his first-class debut with a century in Ranji in January this year, Prithvi has hammered four centuries and one half-ton, till the end of Mumbai-Orissa match on Nov ember 4. He scored a century on his Duleep Trophy debut in September, thus becoming the second youngest, after Sachin Tendulkar, to achieve that feat, aged 17 years and 320 days. Tendulkar, too, had scored tons on his Ranji and Duleep debuts. ‘The next Tendulkar’ is already being whispered, but that tag may be too early to confer on Prithvi.

In school cricket, Prithvi was perhaps as promising as the young Sachin. Both raked up tall scores in Mumbai’s premier interschool tournaments, Harris Shield and Giles Shield. If Tendulkar hammered 326 not out in a 640-run world-record partnership with Vinod Kambli in 1988, Prithvi slammed an epic 546 in 2013-14. But the comparison ends there. Tendulkar went on be a cricketing legend, with 100 international centuries; Prithvi is yet to face bigger challenges. His 18-year life story is, however, dotted with more hurdles, than Tendulkar’s; there were massive odds to overcome, even as a child. Prithvi lost his mother before he even turned four. A caring father brought him up single handedly, giving up his clothing business and pledged his life to shape his son’s cricket career.