New Zealand vs India 2020: Virat Kohli backs Prithvi Shaw despite the opener's unimpressive performance in the 1st Test

Prithvi Shaw’s performance in the opening Test of the two-match series against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington was unimpressive as he flattered to deceive and could muster just 16 and 14 runs respectively in both the innings.

While he was cleaned up by a Tim Southee outswinger in the first innings, Trent Boult’s sharp short delivery proved to be his undoing in the second.

The Indian team were thrashed by 10 wickets in the first Test and have their backs against the wall as they look to level the two-match Test series.

#TeamIndia covered all bases at the training session at the Hagley Oval ahead of the 2nd and final Test against New Zealand.#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/AxIRVayQKL

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 27, 2020

However, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has backed the young Indian opener and said that Shaw could turn out to be a very destructive batsman at the top of the order.

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Kohli also added that India are willing to give Shaw some more time to settle in such alien conditions.

"It is just a matter of understanding the pace of the wicket and conditions as soon as possible. Again, when he (Shaw) is in a clear frame of mind, he is very, very destructive. Once he feels that he can do it, I think it will be a different ball game. The mind set can shift very quickly. We need to give him that time to get used to the conditions a little bit and once he starts scoring, he will feel more confident about it."

Kohli further stated that Shaw will indeed ‘figure out’ how to score big runs for India.

"He (Shaw) will figure out. He will find ways to score runs because he is a natural stroke-player and he scores runs. It is not that he gets small runs (when he gets them). He gets big runs and knows how to get runs."

The second Test will start on the 29th of February and India will be hopeful about Shaw making a significant contribution at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.