I think we’re going to see the real Prithvi Shaw this season – DC coach Ricky Ponting ahead of IPL 2023

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting expects Prithvi Shaw to be at his best in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. Shaw is well known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order and he will be determined to prove his mettle for Delhi Capitals.

The 23-year-old from Mumbai has scored 1588 in 63 IPL matches at an average of 25.21 and a strike rate of 147.45. Shaw had scored 283 runs at an average of 28.3 in 10 matches of IPL 2022 at a strike rate of 152.97 and he will look to come up with a better performance.

Speaking to reporters, Ricky Ponting said, “He’s trained harder and better than I’ve ever seen. I’m pretty sure leading into an IPL, he is in better physical shape than I’ve ever seen him before. And I spoke to him the other day about his attitude and the way that he’s working and how things are going. I honestly feel that this is going to be his biggest season ever in the IPL.”

“He just has that different look in his eye this year – you can see that he’s probably hungrier than ever. Yes he’s had some success for us, but I think with the level of talent and ability that he’s got, I think we’re going to see the real Prithvi Shaw this season.”

The former Australian skipper added that his job as head coach is to help his players get better and also make them better as people. The Tasmanian has done a fantastic job thus far for Delhi Capitals.

“As a player, sometimes you want to play cricket, you want to get out there and represent your team, represent your franchise, and represent your country, but sometimes you don’t see the bigger picture of it. There’s a bigger picture out there than just you playing cricket. It’s how everyone else perceives you in the real world.”

“So that’s my job to make them better players, but at the end of the day, I want to make them better people as well. That’s a big part. The better person you are, I think it’s easier to become a better player. And if you haven’t got your personal life in order off the field, it’s really difficult to be a disciplined performer on the field.”

The Capitals will open their IPL 2023 campaign against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on April 1.