Former Team India coach Anil Kumble said that the upcoming IPL season would be very important for opening batter Prithvi Shaw. The 24-year-old has been retained by the Delhi Capitals before the mini-auction on December 19. Shaw had a poor last IPL season, scoring only 106 runs in eight games at an average of 13.25 and a strike rate under 125 as well. Despite being dropped several times during the reason, the Delhi-based franchise kept him.

Speaking to Jio Cinema, Kumble said, “This is something that he needs to understand. Players that have played with him have gone ahead. For example Shubman Gill, who is one of India’s best players, and a young player who is looking at a future with the team for a long time. And Shaw has missed out on that. So this is simply a make or break season for him.”

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However, Prithvi Shaw is currently recovering from a knee injury that he sustained during his English county cricket stint with Northamptonshire as well. Shaw did well in the County side in the One Day Cup, including a breathtaking 244 off only 153 balls, with 28 fours and 11 sixes. He scored his double hundred in 129 deliveries and became just the third cricketer to score a 200 in the tournament’s history as well.

“Prithvi Shaw has to look at his fitness. I think that’s something that is constantly spoken about. It’s not about his cricketing skills. Yes, there might be some chinks in his armour like all batters do. We’ve seen that he’s someone who can take the game away in the T20 format. He’s still young but he needs to work on his fitness. If Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly, David Warner can’t get him to work on his fitness then it’s a challenge,” concluded Anil Kumble.