It's hard to keep ICC World Cup 2019 squad selection speculations separate from player performances in this edition of the IPL.
However, Delhi Capitals' batsman Prithvi Shaw said he prefers to keep the tournaments separate and take them one at a time.
After a brilliant 99 off 55 balls in Delhi's clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, pundits hope Shaw's fiery form spills over into the weeks of the ICC World Cup.
When asked if he is anxious about selection, the 19-year-old said, "I don’t think one 99 will change much. I'd rather not switch over there and think about what the team for the World Cup is going to be. I'd rather do my job well here and try and win as many games as I can for my team."
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Delhi Capitals has now lost two consecutive matches, against Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad, a struggle Shaw recognised as top priority.
"I’m a kind of person who takes one match at a time and one day at a time. I don’t look at one month ahead. Not really thinking about the World Cup,"he added.
It hasn't been a good tournament for IPL pitch curators this season, with wickets drawing constant flak from players and coaches alike. The Feroz Shah Kotla is the latest addition to the list with the right-hander making his displeasure evident.
"The wickets weren’t as good as we were expecting. Even with the new ball when Shiki (Shikhar Dhawan) bhai and I were batting, it was too slow, turning from the second over. Fast bowlers were getting some cutters with the new ball. But we are putting all of it aside and looking forward to the next game," he said.
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Shaw stated that he didn't find the IPL too hard. Having said that, he attributed the team's luck to faulty execution.
"Everything was going good we were practicing hard. The thing is that we are not able to execute our things on the ground. We have tried sometimes and failed as well. I feel IPL is not very tough, there will be ups and downs for the team and the individuals,"he said.
Delhi Capitals will hope for a change in fortune as it takes on a battered Royal Challengers Bangalore in its home ground on Sunday. Shaw sees another high-scoring encounter on the cards.
"I’ve played a lot over here and it is a good wicket. It will be a crucial match for us and we are hoping to get some good runs on the board. We’ve seen on TV (the other matches) on how the wicket is playing here. It is very good to bat on," he explained.
Would Delhi want to have the advantage of batting second then? Shaw doesn't think it is going to matter.
"The wicket is going to be good for both sides, whether you're batting first or bowling. If there will be a matter, it will be a matter of dew factor which will be more effective if you bat second. Depends upon the captain and coach what they decide. Whatever comes we're going to back ourselves and give our best,"he said.
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Over the course of the IPL, Shaw has had the opportunity to work with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting, a privilege he both understands and is grateful for.
"I just question a lot to coaches because I want to take in all the things they've done. How to score runs, how to tackle situations and the like," he said.
"They've already played 15-20 years of intl cricket. They know how to handle a youngster because they've also crossed that stage. They know how to handle pressure, they know how to talk to them. We haven't had many technical lessons on skills, it's been more about mental preparation," said the opener.
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