Prithvi Shaw, once praised as India’s next-generation rising cricket talent finds himself in a tricky situation of his career. The 24-year-old right-handed batsman was recently sidelined from Mumbai’s squad for the Ranji Trophy citing poor fitness issues and inconsistent activity during the practice sessions. The unexpected changeover raises questions about what went wrong for this remarkable talent.
It would be shocking to know that Prithvi has been playing cricket with 9 fingers throughout his life. Shaw’s progression starting from his school days to his career as an international batsman has been clouded by a long list of challenges that has cast doubt on his raw talent.
He faced severe obstacles in his career such as controversies related to doping tests and fake injuries, criticism from experienced cricketers like Ricky Ponting, failure in Yo-Yo tests, public disputes, body-shaming, and several others.
Let’s find out how Prithvi Shaw’s career has been interrupted by various incidents that increased suspicions about his professional career and dedication to the sport.
Prithvi Shaw’s Early Days and International Debut in 2018
Despite losing his finger at the age of 6 years, Prithvi Shaw caught the attention of the cricket world during his school days as a consistent run scorer. The entire credit goes to his father Pankaj Shaw, who played a crucial role in nurturing a young lad’s talent and guided him on how to play a batsman’s role with 9 fingers.
He marked his first-class cricket debut in the Ranji Trophy 2017 semi-final match against Tamil Nadu. Having played 58 first-class matches, Shaw scored 4,556 runs in 102 innings at an average of 46.02 and the highest score of 379 runs.
Later, he marked his test debut against West Indies in 2018 and achieved his maiden international century with a score of 134 runs from 154 balls (including 19 fours) that fueled expectations.
Despite an impressive start, Shaw’s international career slowed down. He played just 11 matches and scored 528 runs (339 runs in 5 Tests and 189 runs in 6 ODIs). It has been more than three years since he played a cricket match at an international level including his last appearance in an ODI match against Sri Lanka on 23rd July 2021.
Early Failures: Injuries and Concentration Issues in 2018
It was just a few months after his test debut in November 2018, that Shaw was selected for the Australian tour, particularly for the Border Gavaskar Trophy that featured a 4-match test series. But, he faced a severe ankle injury during practice sessions, and unfortunately, he was ruled out of the first test match and the reports suggested that he was losing concentration.
Even after Shaw brushed off this gossip, the speculations continued to worsen as a troubling scenario for his career.
An 8-Month Suspension: Doping Test Controversy in 2019
Prithvi Shaw faced a huge downfall in July 2019, when he was placed on suspension for eight months after being tested positive for in-taking Terbutaline, which is one of the banned substances in cough syrups.
During the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the tests were conducted and traces of terbutaline were found in his urine samples. He argued that the result was positive due to the treatment underwent for a common cold. Furthermore, Shaw explained that it was based on the pharmacist’s recommendation that he use the cough syrup to get immediate relief. But, this incident was the starting point for a dangerous downward trajectory in his career.
Prithvi Shaw vs Ajinkya Rahane: A Fake Injury Controversy in 2020
Team India’s former fielding coach R Shridhar narrated an incident in December 2020, where Prithvi Shaw got hit on the leg while fielding and tried to leave the field by limping towards the dressing room during the practice match in Sydney.
But, captain Ajinkya Rahane came up against him by forcing him should stay on the field by saying that the ball was hit on the shin pad and no one was ready to replace him on the field. The situation pointed out Shaw was trying to avoid his duties which made cricket fans and experts suspicious of his mental fitness.
Ricky Ponting’s Criticism in April 2021
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was the head coach of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021, voiced his dissatisfaction with Prithvi Shaw’s training style. After a detailed observation, Ponting said that Shaw was inconsistent with his form and refused to practice rather than work on his weaknesses. This kind of attitude annoyed Ponting and highlighted in-depth issues related to Prithvi’s approach towards the sport.
Legal Issues and Public Disputes: Second Phase of COVID-19 Lockdown in 2021
Following his IPL suspension in May 2021, Shaw’s public image was further tarnished, but this time it was off-field when he was caught by the police for not following the second wave of COVID-19 travel guidelines. He tried traveling from Maharashtra to Goa without taking an e-pass which negatively affected his reputation and his personal life as well.
Failure in Yo-Yo Test Ahead of IPL 2022
Before the commencement of IPL 2022, Prithvi Shaw failed to clear the Yo-Yo test conducted at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where 25 Indian players participated in the camp. He was not being able to reach the minimum eligibility score of 16.5 for male cricketers. With a score of less than 15, his hopes to be a part of India’s T20 World Cup squad that year came to an end.
Selfie Rejection and Car Attacked in Mumbai in 2023
In February 2023, Prithvi Shaw and his friends were surrounded by a group of fans who asked for Selfies outside a hotel in Mumbai. Initially, he granted them but was said to have turned down their request for a second time. The group waited for Shaw to arrive outside the hotel and damaged his car’s windshield in the process. Furthermore, a social media influencer Sapna Gill claimed harassment allegations against him that fueled up legal issues in his life and continued to struggle for good fame.
Psychological Health and Criticism about Physical Appearance in 2023:
In August 2023, Prithvi Shaw became the first Indian batsman to score two double centuries in a List A tournament. However, he received severe criticism on social media about his bulky appearance which affected his mental health to a peak level. It showed how social pressure can affect the athlete’s well-being despite delivering an appreciable performance.
The Present Situation: Excluded from Ranji Trophy Squad in 2024
Prithvi Shaw was omitted from the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite 2024 season due to his poor performance in October 2024. The Mumbai’s opening batsman managed to score only 59 runs in 4 innings. These are Shaw’s scores against these teams:
- 7 runs from 27 balls and 12 runs from 18 balls (including 2 fours) vs Baroda.
- 1 run from 8 balls and *39 runs from 36 balls (including 5 fours) vs Maharashtra (Here “*” refers to “Not Out”).
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) stated that it was an important lesson to drop the young player from the squad. While few sources mentioned that he was given a break, it is a clear sign of action taken against the disciplinary issues that have affected his career. In the competitive era of cricket, where experienced seniors maintain consistency by attending training programs, Shaw’s irregular participation raises uncertainty about his future professional career and his comeback in international cricket.
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