In the 64th match of IPL, Delhi Capitals defeated Punjab Kings by 15 runs. In this match, Prithvi Shaw scored 54 runs off 38 balls. Delhi gave another chance to Prithvi, who was in poor form throughout the season, another chance. He took advantage of this and hit a half-century. Seeing Prithvi’s innings, former India opener Virender Sehwag remembered a funny incident. Along with this, he also told about the importance of former players.
Prithvi, once called the future of Indian cricket, has been going through a bad phase for some time now. At the same time, he was surrounded by different controversies outside the field. Talking about Prithvi, former Delhi captain Sehwag recalled his conversation with Sunil Gavaskar during the 2003-04 season.
Sehwag said in a cricket show, “Prithvi Shaw shot an advertisement with me. None of them talked about cricket even once. We stayed there for six hours. If you want to talk to someone, you have to contact them. Once, I wanted to talk to Sunny bhai (Sunil Gavaskar) when I was new in the team. I told coach John Wright that I didn’t know if Sunny bhai would meet me or not.”
Sehwag further added, “John Wright hosted a dinner for me in 2003-04, and I also said that my opening partner Aakash Chopra would also come so that we could talk about batting. Gavaskar came and had dinner with us. You have to take this initiative. Sunil Gavaskar will never talk to Sehwag or Chopra. You have to request them.”
Sehwag further stated how Gavaskar’s inputs helped him in his batting, “Gavaskar gave his inputs, and we talked for a long time. We benefited from that conversation. You have to make that effort. If Prithvi Shaw makes such a request, anyone will help him. He should have submitted a request to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Delhi Capitals. No matter how talented you are in cricket. If you are not mentally fit, then nothing can be done.”
Sehwag was known for scoring runs with a tremendous strike rate. Chopra and Sehwag had fruitful opening partnerships in the 2003–04 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Talking about Shaw, Sehwag also stressed strengthening the mindset to get the right results.
