New Delhi: Sachin Tendulkar is the perfect example of the talent that meets hard work, so it’s imperative for Prithvi Shaw to follow in the footsteps of his idol to get his dwindling career back on track. Once dubbed the next Tendulkar, Shaw’s career slumped to a new low when he remained unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega-auction. Amazingly, it was just two days after Shaw appeared on a YouTube vlog where he revealed the best-ever advice that he had once got from Tendulkar.
Tendulkar’s advice: Discipline over natural talent in cricket
“Discipline beats talent” was the Little Master’s expert tip for Shaw, the 25-year-old Mumbai batter would must go back to the drawing board to revive his career.
Shaw, after being released by the Capitals in the auction pool, didn’t find takers at the IPL mega auction in Jeddah. It is a dramatic fall from grace for the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning captain who raised expectations after scoring a century on his Test debut six seasons ago.
It’s ironic how Shaw’s U-19 teammates – Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Shubman Gill – all fetched big bucks and Shaw, who came into the limelight much before all of them, went unnoticed at the IPL auction.
But sometimes, hard times can make you stronger and help you rethink, regroup and re-centre to find the right path to reach the ultimate goal.
Shaw needs to press the reset button and not just let Tendulkar’s advice remain mere words.
Shaw’s IPL 2025 auction failure: A career at crossroads
Despite a base price of Rs 75 lakh and a decent IPL record of 1892 runs at a strike rate of 147.47, Shaw found no buyers, which included the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting. All three legends have worked with Shaw in the past but none of them were able to change his attitude.
“Prithvi has been in Delhi Capitals. In DC itself, he had a chance to interact with Rahul Dravid, who was also his U-19 India coach, Ricky Ponting, and Sourav Ganguly.
“It’s an open secret in Mumbai cricket that Tendulkar has also spoken to him. Are these legends fools? Do you see any change in him? Even if there is, it is not evident,” a former India selector, who has followed Shaw’s career closely told PTI.
Shaw’s fitness & lifestyle: Obstacles to success
Shaw’s lifestyle and fitness have been the two major reasons for his downfall. Not just the IPL, Shaw was even dropped from the Ranji Trophy squad by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for being unfit.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif, who worked with Shaw at the Delhi Capitals, explained how Shaw’s talent forced the team management to give chance after chance despite his inconsistent form. Talking on Jio Cinema after the auction, Kaif said that the IPL snub might prove to be a blessing in disguise for Shaw, who should take a cue from Sarfaraz Khan and work hard on his fitness and form in domestic cricket.
Mohammad Kaif reaction to Prithvi Shaw Unsold in IPL Mega Auction.#IPLAuction #IPLAuctiononJioStar#IPLauctions2025 #IPL2025pic.twitter.com/PASKGrXxPU
— K.Uday (@udayvardhan_k) November 25, 2024
Can Shaw rise from the ashes?
Several fans have expressed fears by comparing Shaw’s current situation with Vinod Kambli, who also made headlines at a very young age after coming from a humble background and gained instant international stardom only to slump into a sharp downward spiral.
But unlike Kambli, who didn’t get the much-needed support to get his career back on track, Shaw has people available who can help him get out of the miserable situation.
But first and foremost, he needs to wake up from slumber and ask himself some tough but necessary questions. To find the motivation to play and perform in top-level cricket, he must work on his fitness and improve his lifestyle.
Standing at a crossroads in his career, Shaw can either rise or bust. It all depends on what he wants to do with his talent. There have been plenty of cases where brilliant talent was unable to realise his full potential and we hope Shaw isn’t one of those players who promised a lot in terms of talent only to not deliver.
Prithvi Shaw, once touted as the next Sachin Tendulkar, went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction. The Mumbai batter’s future hinges on self-reflection and dedicated hard work. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
