Their careers have followed a common path so far. Both shone at the U-19 World Cup — Prithvi Shaw in 2018 Yashasvi Jaiswal in 2020 — and got into the Mumbai side at the age of 18. Success continued to chase them and after some heavy scoring that turned many a head, they made it to the Test team as instant hits in domestic cricket.
The similarities have increased, in an eye-catching manner. Like Shaw against the West Indies in Rajkot in October 2018, Jaiswal made a century on Test debut against the same team in Roseau in Dominica last week. One a right-handed bat and another left-handed, that’s the only dissimilarity between Shaw and Jaiswal as far as cricket goes.
And this is where Jaiswal’s career trajectory has to be different from Shaw’s. Success early on is a morale-booster unless it goes to your head. There are stories in Indian cricket of talented youngsters making impressive starts in international cricket before fading away as quickly as they came. The best example as a batter is also from Mumbai — Vinod Kambli.
By practical counts, Jaiswal’s test starts now. He has shown an abundance of talent in domestic cricket and 171 in his only international appearance is a continuation of the heavy scoring which characterised him. This innings demonstrated that the 21-year-old has the temperament and mental discipline to change tack and play the waiting game.
Equally importantly if not more, Jaiswal has to learn to handle fame, money, stardom, national adulation and temptations to convert this start into a long career. For youngsters, especially those from underprivileged families, an overdose of money can have a destructive effect. Not just cricket, the world of sport is witness to many examples.
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Taking nothing away from his abilities as a cricketer, let us admit that Shaw has been part of some unwanted incidents in his six years in senior-level cricket. He was banned for eight months for a violation of anti-doping regulations. There have been disciplinary issues. Sometimes, he gave an impression that there is a lot of pent-up anger in him. Plus, he has also shown a tendency to put on weight.
Having said that, Shaw is still 23 and averages 42-plus in five Tests. There is no reason to think that he will not score heavily in domestic cricket to come back to India reckoning again. And although he is not in the scheme of things now, Shaw can be a shock weapon in T20 cricket. Let him have a good IPL before next year’s T20 World Cup and who knows!
Jaiswal has also had problems on the field. Last season, he was sent off by West Zone captain Ajinkya Rahane for about half-an-hour in a Duleep Trophy game for misbehaving with a South Zone player. Rahane explained later that the game is above individuals and those thinking otherwise must pay the price. Jaiswal, too, admitted that he had crossed the line and this was a lesson for him.
This is what Jaiswal has to be careful of. It’s difficult to reach where he has. He is a national icon, with 1.8 million followers on Instagram and more elsewhere. It’s far more difficult to retain that position or enhance that status. Other than working harder on his game and fitness, he has to keep his focus on the right areas. It’s easier said than done, considering the distractions.
A new chapter in Jaiswal’s eventful life begins now. This will not only test him as a cricketer, but also as a human being. It will be an examination of his character and sense of priorities. Not new to hardships and challenges, he has what it takes to succeed. What he ought to remember is ‘it’s not important how you start, but how you finish’.
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