In an eagerly awaited development, young Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw is all set to embark on his maiden county stint in the UK. After some initial logistical delays and apparent hassles over travel documents, the Mumbai opener has finally arrived in the United Kingdom well in time for his county assignment. Shaw’s county stint will kick-start with a one-day cup game on Friday, August 4.
Shawâs participation announced by NCCC CEO
The Chief Executive of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (NCCC), Ray Payne, expressed his delight, stating, “I am delighted to say Prithvi arrived in the UK today (Sunday) and will feature in our one-day cup starting Friday, August 4. Official announcement (will come) tomorrow (Monday).”
The 50-over competition, known as the One-Day Cup, forms an integral part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s domestic program. While the tournament commences on Tuesday, the Northamptonshire Steelbacks are scheduled to play their first match against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College, Cheltenham, only on Friday.
Prithvi Shaw’s journey to this county stint encountered a few hiccups along the way. Securing the NOC from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) allowed him to skip the ongoing Deodhar Trophy inter-zonal one-day championship in Puducherry. However, his continued absence from the NCCC fixtures raised questions and confusion regarding his assignment.
Shaw rises through the ranks despite initial setbacks
At one point, doubts were cast over his participation, as the NCCC initially maintained they had no announcement to make regarding Shaw joining the club. However, with the CEO’s confirmation of his arrival, fans can now eagerly anticipate watching Shaw in action for the Northamptonshire Steelbacks.
Joining the ranks of the Steelbacks’ side, Prithvi Shaw will share the field with the likes of David Willey and Andrew Tye, under the guidance of John Sadler, the county’s head coach. Prithvi Shaw, at the age of 23, has already showcased his talent on the international stage, making a memorable debut with a century against West Indies at just 18 years old. However, he has encountered a few setbacks since then, playing only four more Tests and seven white ball games (six ODIs and one T20I) for India.Â
Despite the challenges, Shaw’s potential and talent have not gone unnoticed. He becomes the fourth Indian player to be signed up by a county this season, following the footsteps of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Arshdeep Singh, and Navdeep Saini. Notably, Rahane had initially signed up with Leicestershire but later decided to take a break and pulled out of his contract.
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