Young Prithvi Shaw was spotted practicing with batting legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai where Tendulkar has set up his talent-hunt academy, ahead of the crucial Australia series.

Shaw was seen hitting balls in the nets while Tendulkar had his eyes on him from where the umpire would stand. Parallels have been drawn between the two, in the past, as they come from the same state and are both short in height and early starters.

The youngster, who turned 19 on Friday, recently missed Mumbai’s opening Ranji Trophy match against Railways because of an injury he suffered during the Deodhar Trophy. But it is for his good consistent performances that have ensured Shaw made it to the Australia squad.

He will be there as a part of India A for the New Zealand, under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane before they join the other Indian team members in Australia.

“He trained with wet rubber balls in the artificial tarpaulin laid on the cement pitch in the centre of the MIG ground. Tendulkar and Jagdish Chavan and bowled to him. As he was batting, he had the master watching him and giving him the required tips in order to prepare him for the Australia tour,” Prashant Shetty, Shaw’s MIG Academy’s coach, told DNA.