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Journalism of Courage
For cricket-crazy Prithvi Shaw,summer vacations generally meant an additional license to immerse himself totally with his beloved sport and be completely oblivious of everything else around him. This year promises to be different though for the puny teenager in more ways than one. For starters,Shaw will have to divide his attention between the cricket field and his books. Not to forget,dealing with a completely alien cuisine.
But the prolific 13-year-old Rizvi Springfield opener is not complaining one bit. After all going to England was something that he had not even dreamed off. But over the next three months,starting Tuesday,Shaw will be away spending his summer semester at the Cheadle Hulme School in Manchester,which will take care of both his cricket and academics. And you cannot help but gush at the little man8217;s innocence when he inquires about the kind of food he8217;ll have to deal with in the coming weeks.
What do people generally eat in the United Kingdom? Will I have to eat whatever I am offered? he asks. But though his concern is understandable,Shaw is eagerly looking forward to deal with whatever comes his way there.
Over the years,Shaw has heard a number of stories about England from Nilesh Kulkarni,former India left-arm spinner and the man whose company is responsible for Shaw8217;s maiden overseas sojourn. He has also been regaled with tales of foreign lands by teammate Arjun Tendulkar,Sachin8217;s son. And now Shaw can8217;t wait to get a first-hand experience of whatever he has heard from them. In Manchester,Shaw will be put up with a British family,and he will get a well-rounded education on matters related to various facets of life. But getting to play with senior boys in totally different conditions to what he has been brought up on will be his greatest lesson,according to mentor Kulkarni.
He is just 13 and it is the right time to promote him. He is a bright talent,and has done well in Indian conditions. But if he has to do well ahead in his career,then experiencing the conditions in places like England is a must, explains Kulkarni. Shaw in fact would have already been in the UK if not for a delay in getting his visa. There is no doubting the diminutive right-hander8217;s innate talent with the bat. Few batsmen have managed to be as prolific as him at the school level,and Shaw has already attracted a lot of attention with his mountain of runsover 2000 of them in two consecutive years.
His approach to batting is a clear indicator that he8217;s got the potential to go the distance. He already possesses a lot of class in his batting but he8217;s still young and has miles to go, says his MIG coach Prashant Shetty. Kulkarni also makes a special mention of Dr Samir Pathak,a UK based general surgeon,who was instrumental in recognizing Shaw8217;s potential and pulling all the strings to get the youngster8217;s trip organized. SG,the bat manufacturers,have also played their part by offering five bats to young Shaw prior to his departure to England. The lanky former Mumbai stalwart insists that the next three months could see the emergence of a much more mature Shaw,and one who would have really prospered from his stint away from home. Apart from cricket,he will learn so many other things. He will learn how to play swing bowling and the experience will help him in future. We never got this kind of exposure back in our day, he says.
Shaw himself is lost for words while describing his feelings about the upcoming tour. And you cannot fault the shy lad for sticking with a few formal words of gratitude towards his benefactors. I8217;m happy to get a chance to play in England. Many don8217;t get an opportunity like this, he whispers,the words hardly audible.
His journey from Virar in the outskirts of Mumbai to Manchester is the stuff dreams are made off. And Shaw wants to soak in every single moment of it,starting with his first-ever international flight. He is aware that bouts of homesickness will only be one of the many challenges that he will have to overcome on his own in a faraway land. But they will only make him stronger and prepare him better for the grander campaigns that are sure to come his way in the future. For now,the city8217;s own Shaw-stopper is on his way to make an impression in Old Blighty.
