India vs New Zealand: After injuries and suspension, Prithvi Shaw gets maiden ODI call-up

India vs New Zealand: Prithvi Shaw was included in the 15-man ODI squad for India for the New Zealand tour in place of injured Shikhar Dhawan.

India U-19 World Cup winning captain Prithvi Shaw received his maiden ODI call-up on Sunday for the upcoming series against New Zealand. The right-hander was included in the 15-man squad that will play three ODIs against the Kiwis, the first of which will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton on February 5. The 20-year-old, last week, smashed 100-ball 150 during India A’s second practice game against New Zealand at Lincoln on Saturday. Shaw smashed 22 fours and two sixes during his innings.

Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw during a practice session.(PTI)

Shaw made his debut for India in the two-match Test series against West Indies in October 2018, and he instantly made a mark scoring a ton and a fifty. He was expected to be India’s Test squad against Australia the same year, but an injury in the practice game saw him getting ruled out from the series.

The year 2019 further did not go Shaw’s way as he was handed an eight-month doping ban. He made a return to cricket at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in November, and smashed 63 runs in 39 balls to guide Mumbai to an easy win over Assam. He, followed it up with two more fifties in the domestic T20 tournament.

The right-hander also smashed a fifty and a double hundred for Mumbai in their opening Ranji Trophy match against Baroda. He suffered an injury in Mumbai’s third Ranji match against Karnataka, which saw him getting ruled out of India A’s first practice-game in New Zealand.

He caught the eyes of the selectors with a spectacular match-winning performance in the 2nd practice game and was named in the ODI squad for New Zealand tour, in place of Shikhar Dhawan, who was ruled out due to an injury.

India will play five T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests against New Zealand, with the first T20I to be played on Friday in Auckland.