The pair of security guards at the Sydney Cricket Ground practice nets are mesmerised as Prithvi Shaw punches a length delivery past the bowler. "Who is this kid? He looks like he is in school, but he's smashing all the big blokes around," says one of them at the fabled cricket venue yesterday. The big blokes are considerably taller than Shaw and a couple of them have already played for NSW.

The practice pitches are fresh and the new ball is flying through. Apart from the net bowlers, Shaw is also facing Nuwan, the left-arm throw down specialist, who can hurl the ball at 150kmph.