NEW DELHI: Shreyas Iyer believes that Prithvi Shaw, despite his rapid descent from a promising talent, can still achieve greatness if he improves his approach to training and preparation. Shaw’s performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where Mumbai emerged victorious under Iyer’s leadership, showed glimpses of his ability, though he managed only 197 runs across nine matches without a half-century.
“I think personally he is a God gifted player. The amount of talent he possesses as an individual, no one has it. It’s just that he needs to improve his work ethics,” Iyer remarked after Mumbai’s 5-wicket triumph over Madhya Pradesh in the SMAT final.
“He needs to get his work ethics right. And if he does that, sky’s the limit for him,” he added.
Iyer emphasised that Shaw must take responsibility for his own development, noting that external guidance has its limits.
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“We can’t babysit anyone, right? He has played so much of cricket. Everyone has given him inputs. At the end of the day, it’s his job to figure out things for himself. And he has also done it in the past. It’s not that he hasn’t,” he stated.
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Elaborating further, Iyer said: “He has to focus. He has to sit back, put a thinking cap on. He will get the answer by himself. No one can force him to do anything.”
Iyer praised Ajinkya Rahane’s contribution to Mumbai’s SMAT victory, highlighting his selflessness and dedication.
“He is that sort of a character who will give 110% for the team. He started at number 4, where he knew that there were two openers. So, he sacrificed his position and then after that when Surya came in, he became an opener. So he is a fantastic team-man.”
“But irrespective, salute to him, the way he approached each and every game, match by match. I am a firm believer of someone who has a certain type of routine and he is one of them,” he continued.
Rahane’s outstanding performance as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, amassing 469 runs at an average of 58.62 and a strike-rate of 165, validated Iyer’s assessment.
Iyer also commended Mumbai’s emerging talents, perhaps sending a subtle message to Shaw about maintaining high standards.
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“All the youngsters who have come up and the way they showcase their talent is simply phenomenal. You should see their character and their approach outside the dressing room and also on the field.”
“They’re fearless in their approach and this is the kind of players we need to back. And for me personally, whenever I go out there I want to win. It doesn’t matter who we play, winning is something that makes me feel happy and it is everything for me,” he elaborated.
Currently, Iyer is focused on celebrating Mumbai’s second consecutive SMAT title, postponing thoughts about future endeavours, including his new role with Punjab Kings in the IPL.
“Right now I just want to go and enjoy it with my teammates. I am not thinking about what to plan ahead. Go out there, enjoy with my teammates, my family, my friends.”
“Get some applause from my friends about this success. Cherish it. And after that we will see what is up there,” Iyer concluded.
