Gifted opening batsman Prithvi Shaw, who returned with flying colours after serving an eight-month suspension for failing a dope test, suffered another setback on Saturday.
Shaw, who injured his left-shoulder on the opening day of Mumbai’s Group B Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka here at the Bandra Kurla Complex ground, was ruled out of the contest after MRI revealed a labral tear on his shoulder.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in an email communication to the Mumbai Cricket Association, summoned the 20-year-old to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further assessment and recovery. "He (Shaw) has been called to the NCA. We got an email from the BCCI. He has left to Bengaluru," Ajinkya Naik, Mumbai’s team manager, told reporters at the end of second day’s play.
On Friday, Shaw landed hard on his left shoulder while attempting to stop an overthrow. Wincing in pain, he left the ground and was taken to hospital for a scan. Shaw didn’t take the field on the second day and just when Mumbai, reeling at 26/4, needed the services of the attacking right-hander, it was made official that he will not be batting in the second innings.
"He couldn’t even lift his hand. He has a tear on his shoulder. That much is known. He was not in a position to bat. How serious is the injury will be known at the NCA," said Naik.
Shaw, who was named in the India A one-day and four-day squads for the tour of New Zealand, will be hoping to recover in time for the series starting from January 17. Shaw made a brilliant comeback, smashing a 63 of just 39 balls against Assam in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In total, Shaw scored three half-centuries in five matches in the tournament.
In his bid to get back into the national side, the youngster drew selectors' attention with a brilliant double-century (202) – the third fastest in the Ranji history – in Mumbai’s opener against Baroda. "I was hungry for runs and I am glad to be able to score big since my comeback," Shaw, who averages 62.72 in first-class cricket with 2070 runs from 19 games, had said.
After scoring a century on his Test debut against the West Indies in Rajkot, Shaw travelled to Australia for the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year. Shaw’s trip was cut short when he returned home after injuring his ankle during a tour match in Sydney.
