By Admin 
Maharashtra captain Ankeet Bawane believes that Prithvi Shaw’s arrival and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s leadership influence have injected fresh energy and belief into the side this season on the back of disastrous last two seasons.
Bawane, who has seen both batters up close, said Shaw’s impact on and off the field has been immediate. “Prithvi has already represented India in all three formats,” Bawane told The Hindu here on Friday, ahead of Maharashtra’s Group B clash against Karnataka. “He has performed well and can change the course of a match in an hour or two. It’s a blessing to have such a player in our team and in Maharashtra cricket.”
He praised Shaw’s hunger and determination during his comeback phase. “Prithvi is very keen — he wants to perform well in the Ranji Trophy and make his way back into the Indian team. You can see that intent in his batting. In Chandigarh, when I expected to bowl just 10 or 15 overs on Day 3 before the declaration, he went on to score 222 off about 145 balls! That gave us five sessions to bowl out the opposition, and eventually win the match. It made a huge difference.”
While Shaw continues to make waves in his debut season for Maharashtra, Bawane admitted the team will miss Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been called up for India A duty, for the next two games.
“Ruturaj, in his current form, has batted brilliantly in both matches,” he said. “Beyond his runs, his presence on the field lifts everyone. He is an icon of our state — when he is there, the team feels different. We will miss him, but he has gone for a bigger opportunity. We all want Ruturaj to do for India what he is doing for Maharashtra.”