Mitchell Starc exploited Prithvi Shaw's weak footwork as the batsman was dismissed on the second delivery of the first Test in Adelaide.
There was significant uneasiness over the decision to include Prithvi Shaw in the playing XI for the first Test against Australia, and the right-handed batsman did little to quash the doubts over him. In the first innings of the Test in Adelaide, Shaw lasted merely two deliveries as the glaring lack of footwork came back to haunt him.
Shaw was dismissed for a duck, as he found a thick inside-edge while chasing a delivery outside-off for a cover drive.
With little footwork to complement the shot, Shaw failed to reach the ball and Starc's ability to angle the ball back did the rest, as it deflected off the batsman's bat to clean the stumps.
Watch the dismissal:
Prithvi Shaw didn't inspire much confidence with his outings in the warm-up matches ahead of the first Test. In four innings across two games, he registered scores of 0, 19, 40 and 3. However, the team management showed faith on the Indian youngster for the day/night Test in Adelaide.
Shaw's has been facing an inconsistent run of performances ever since the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League, where his sheer lack of footwork -- especially on deliveries outside off made him a walking wicket on many occasions.
In the practice matches against Australia A, Shaw was persistently targeted with deliveries outside off throughout his innings. Even in the 40-run innings in the second warm-up game, Shaw found a couple of thick edges wide outside-off which resulted in boundaries, before the bowler (Will Sutherland) cheekily nipped one back-into the batsman to clean his wickets.
Earlier, India had won the toss and opted to bat in the first Test. For Australia, Cameron Green is making his Test debut.
