'It's nowhere near my mind' - Prithvi Shaw on making Team India comeback

Indian batter Prithvi Shaw, after missing out on making the India squad for the home T20I series against South Africa, yet again failed to make the cut for the tour of Ireland. Shaw, who is currently with Mumbai in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, said that making a comeback to the national team is“nowhere near” his mind as winning the Ranji trophy is his main motive.

Mumbai, led by Shaw, are currently playing in the final of the Ranji Trophy against Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru. He said that the preparations at the moment were for the final, adding that he was not focussing on what is happening on the outside. “It’s nowhere near my mind you know – comeback to the Indian team,” Shaw was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Getting the Cup is my main motive: Shaw

The Mumbai skipper has been one of the key players of the team in the knockouts of the tournament as he scored two fifties in four innings during this phase. “Getting the Cup is my main motive and not thinking anything other than winning this one,” said Shaw. “The preparation what we have done for the Ranji Trophy and not focusing on what’s happening on the outside. It’s about winning the Ranji Trophy and getting those happy moments back,” he added. 

Mumbai knocked out Uttar Pradesh in the semifinal due to a first-innings lead of 213. It was a dominant display by Mumbai batters, scoring 393 in the first innings and 533 in the second to close out the match in their favour. In the quarterfinal, Mumbai thrashed Uttarakhand with a strong all-round performance as they won by 725 runs after scoring 908 across the two innings.

“I have scored a couple of fifties but that’s not enough for me for sure and no one even congratulated me after scoring a fifty and you feel bad as well,” joked the 22-year-old. “It happens sometimes but I am glad that my team is doing well. “In cricket and in life, the graph always goes up and down and it’s never going to always go up. So it’s just a matter of time that I middle those balls and get those big runs again,” he further said. 

Shaw last played for India in July 2021, against Sri Lanka in a T20I, in which he was out without scoring. That is the only T20I he has played so far.