It was an electric display of athleticism and stringent discipline from Shivam Mavi as the latter rattled the visiting Lankans emphatically with pin-point accuracy and a host of toe-crushers mixed in sizeable proportions. He finished the opener with figures of 4 for 22, claiming the big wickets of Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theeksana.
Thanks to Mavi’s controlled display, Sri Lanka found it challenging to chase down a modest total and eventually stutter close to the finish line. India’s captain for the series, Hardik Pandya seemed to be elated with Mavi’s fine display and heaped a boatload of accolades for the searing fast bowler. Former Indian cricketer, Ajay Jadeja was also vocal about Mavi’s impressive debut and expressed his belief that this young man can have a significant impact in the upcoming days in international cricket.
Talking on Cricbuzz, Jadeja said, “What was heartening to see that after getting hit for a couple of boundaries, generally a young man playing his first game starts thinking defensively sometimes. And he had a good run. Last month has been good; he has been picked by a captain who is now leading India as well. So he feels wanted. There are people who have been fighting for him. And here he comes in and picks up 4 wickets in his first game. It’s a day to remember. It’s a debut game; he played a major role. There was 18th over, then there was another… all 4 overs, he has had a wicket.” He then aligned his previous pointer with how well Hardik has used Mavi, highlighting the fact that the former Knight is actually capable of slotting in at any stage of the game and this enhances the youngster’s confidence. Jadeja said, “All those 4 wickets have come in different stages of the game, which shows that the captain has the confidence in him to bowl anywhere. And if you can do that, for a captain – for Hardik – that’s an asset because it doesn’t allow the oppositions to plan against you. You can be used differently. You can have a bad over and still be brought back. All things look good for him. He has got a captain who has made him comfortable here. He will grow as a player.”
