Opener Prithvi Shaw asked to lose weight before being considered for Team India: Reports

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw was left out of the squad in India's Test side for the World Test Championship finals and the tour of England, despite bouncing back to form after great knocks in the domestic season and the Indian Premier League. 

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However, Shaw was reportedly asked to shed some weight in order to be considered for selection in Team India. Shaw was dropped from the Indian team after a poor show in the Test series against Australia and got replaced by Shubman Gill, who played defining knocks. 

According to a report in the Times of India, the batsman has been told by the BCCI to 'shed a few kilos' if he is to make his way back to the national team.

“Prithvi is still very slow across the turf for a 21-year-old. He needs to shed a few more kilos. He also had concentration issues while fielding in Australia. Shaw has been working hard since he returned from Australia. He has the example of Rishabh Pant right in front of him. If Pant can turn things around in a few months, Prithvi too can do it,” the BCCI source said.

Pant's career took a turn for the best after the Indian wicketkeeper shed few kilos. He outstood as the wicketkeeper and a batsman for Team India by playing a crucial role in breaching the Fortress of Gabba and England series. 

“He has to sustain this form for a few more tournaments. He has often been picked on the basis of one good series and then he has struggled in international cricket, He is too good a player to be ignored for long,” the source explained.

Team India will hope to turn into the debut World Test Championship victors when they take on New Zealand one month from now. From that point forward, Virat Kohli's men will direct their concentration toward the marquee England series and desire to charge better compared to what they did last time; Team India lost 1-4 in the 2018 series.