What’s the use of being sad about something you can’t control – Prithvi Shaw on being ignored by selectors

India’s talented batter Prithvi Shaw grabbed the limelight after he scored a magnum opus knock of 379 off just 383 balls in the Ranji Trophy clash against Assam. Shaw’s mammoth score is the highest ever for Mumbai, surpassing Sanjay Manjrekar’s 377 and the second highest in the Ranji Trophy history, behind Bhausaheb Nimbalkar, who scored an unbeaten 443 in the 1948-49 season.

Shaw was on an unbeaten 240 after the opening days and revealed he took a fresh guard on Day 2.

Shaw said in an interview with Indian Express, “I wasn’t thinking much that I have to create a record today. When I came back after scoring 240 runs, I left those runs at the ground itself. I just wanted to start fresh from zero.”

He added: “I was blank and was just playing as per merit of the ball. I just went there, took a fresh guard and started on a fresh day. I didn’t know it was a record, I was told inside the dressing room that I hit the second highest score.”

Shaw has been in tremendous form but still he has been ignored by the national selectors. The youngster admitted that it hurts when he didn’t get his chances for the national team despite performing consistently at the domestic level.

However, Shaw is well aware of the adage, ‘Control the controllables’ and he wants to focus on the present and win the Ranji Trophy title for Mumbai.

“Sometimes I do get hurt once you are at peak and don’t get picked. Joh mere hath mein nahi hai uska dukh bana ke kya fyada.( What’s the use of being sad about something you can’t control).”

He added: “If God decides he will give me another opportunity, I will try to perform for India again. As I said there is no point in thinking too much, at the moment, I want to do well for Mumbai first.”

Shaw has scored 539 runs in eight innings at an average of 67.37 thus far this season and deserves his chance in the national set-up. Furthermore, he had performed consistently in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy.