26 February,2021 07:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Prithvi Shaw
While out-of-favour India opener and stand-in Mumbai skipper Prithvi Shaw helped his team win their third game in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the right-hander was visualising thrashing the England bowlers at Ahmedabad.
Shaw (152-ball unbeaten 227, 31x4, 5x6) and Suryakumar Yadav (58-ball 133, 22x4, 4x6) helped Mumbai post a mammoth 457-4 to beat Puducherry by a massive 233-run margin in Jaipur on Thursday.
"I was playing my normal game and was trying to play in the gaps. My appetite for runs is increasing day by day. I was thinking that I'm playing in Ahmedabad [against England in the day-night Test]. But yes, this is a special knock," Shaw told mid-day on Thursday.
Shaw, 21, who scored an unbeaten 105 against Delhi a few days ago, shared two vital partnerships (of 201 with Suryakumar and 153 with Aditya Tare (56) for the third and second wicket respectively) hailed Suryakumar's knock. "He [Suryakumar] is a kalaakaar [artist]. His confidence level is very high. He has every shot in his kitty and knows very well how to score runs. I believe he is already in the T20 zone and reached Ahmedabad," remarked Shaw of his teammate who has been selected in India's T20 squad.
Riding on this splendid knock, Shaw became the eight Indian after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Karn Kaushal, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal to register a double century in List âA' cricket. When asked if Mumbai had a specific plan for Puducherry, as they were beaten by the same team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last month, Shaw said: "It was not a revenge win, but yes, that [loss] was in our minds. So, we were determined to show them. We just decided to focus on the game like we did in the earlier two matches of the tournament."
Revealing his approach for the upcoming matches, Shaw said: "I will try and hit loose balls which are in my range. At the same time, I will respect all those deliveries. My aim is to play 100 balls in each game."
Shaw, who led Mumbai for the first time in place of the rested Shreyas Iyer, said: "It's a proud feeling to lead Mumbai. Right from my childhood, it was my dream to play Ranji Trophy for Mumbai and lead the side, so it's nice to lead a team that comprises big players."
Debutant leg-spinner Prashant Solanki claimed 5 for 48, while pacers Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande picked up two wickets each as Puducherry were bundled out for 224 in 38.1 overs.
