Prithvi Shaw can change India's fortunes in T20 world cup

Cricket is evolving at a fast pace since the inception of the T20 format. Previous generations were used to watching the classic format of Test cricket which still remains hugely popular amongst purists. This was followed by One Day Internationals which was introduced in the 70s and became an instant hit and now the format has a rich history that many ardent cricket fans can relate to. The most relatable thing about the format for Indian fans is the 1983 world cup which under Kapil dev's leadership India managed to win by beating West Indies who were the undisputed champions in those days. This victory became a symbolic moment in Indian cricket after which people started watching the sport religiously. 

Prithvi Shaw has been playing in the IPL since 2018 for the Delhi Capitals. The 22-year-old batter has featured in 63 games so far and has managed to score 1,588 runs with an average of 25.21. The most interesting thing here is his strike rate which stands at 147.45 which is massive from India's perspective.

Yes, it's true that the other teams can watch IPL games and figure out ways to dismiss him. But to execute those plans in a high-pressure tournament like the T20 world cup will not be easy. Shaw is a natural striker of the cricket ball and can take advantage of the powerplay overs if he gets going and his strike rate only proves this point further. 

A batter like Prithvi Shaw has the x-factor that is very rare to find. The Indian team management should realise that having a player like Shaw is rare and he should be backed to bat in a fearless manner which can derail the plan of their opponents. Shaw's approach can also allow other batters who bat in the middle overs to take some time and as they will not have the pressure of the run-rate hovering over their head. India's batting in the powerplay was a big cause of concern during the T20 world cup in 2021 and if they make Shaw open the innings then it is highly likely that they will not be repeating the mistakes they made last time around. 

When you compare their strike rate with Prithvi Shaw, it is significantly lower even if you just take their IPL career for comparison. Barring KL Rahul, neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit Sharma have managed to touch the 140-mark when it comes to the strike rate in the cash-rich league. 

Prithvi Shaw is still young as he is just 22 years old and the team management has often thought the same and ignored the young batter. They probably believe that Shaw has a lot of time on his hands and can be brought to the Indian team probably after the Rohit Sharma era. But the problem here is the fact that India needs an explosive opening batter who can clear the boundary ropes from ball one in T20Is. So, in my opinion, the team management should think hard about what combination are they going to go with when they leave for Australia. I say this because we have seen what happened last year in the T20 world cup, and it looks like this year also, India might be playing with almost the same team and this can be a disaster for them. So, I feel Prithvi Shaw should be considered for the T20 world cup that is set to take place in Australia.