Former Indian batter and cricket Expert Sunil Gavaskar has supported Indian batter Prithvi Shaw, after his exclusion from the Ranji Trophy team of Mumbai. The report submitted by Mumbai Cricket Association states that Shaw’s body fat percentage is at 35%, and he requires rigorous training before returning to the team.
Prithvi started his domestic season on a high, with scoring 76 runs in 105 balls, against Rest of India in the Irani Cup. He didn’t get the same start in the Ranji Trophy, as expected and was dropped by the Association.
Sunil Gavaskar defends the young batsman, asserting that waist size isn’t the sole indicator of fitness in cricket.
“There have been mixed reports about his omission from the Ranji team. If it’s about his attitude, approach and discipline, then it’s understandable, but hopefully it is nothing to do with his weight as one report seems to have suggested”– he wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
Legendary batter proved his point by taking the example of Indian middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan, who played a magnificent innings of 150 runs against the New Zealand at Bengaluru. This shows that cricket fitness isn’t determined by body shape or waist size.
He concluded, “It’s whether you can score 150-plus runs and that too bat for a whole day or bowl 20-plus overs in a day. That should be the only criteria of a player’s fitness. By the way, how many players with zero per cent or minimal body fat have scored 379 like Prithvi Shaw? I rest my case about fitness”.
A player’s ability and performance, should not be overshadowed by his weight or body shape. The game of cricket is more about skill and ability than physical appearance. Ultimately, performance of a player is what truly matters in the game.
Indian Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal chasing a record held by Indian legends
Yashasvi Jaiswal has 1056 runs in 17 innings in 2024 (Image Credits: X)
As of October 2024, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored 1,056 runs in 17 innings in the calendar year 2024. With this feat, he crossed Virat Kohli and Gundappa Viswanath for most Test runs in India in a particular calendar year.
This record is held by the god of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 1,562 runs in 2010, followed by Sunil Gavaskar 1,555 runs in 1979, and Virender Sehwag 1,462 runs in 2008. India are yet to play five Test matches in this calendar year and the emerging opener has a chance to clinch the top spot in this record.
