New Delhi: It’s been a long time since Prithiv Shaw found himself in the headlines for the right reason. The Mumbai batter, whose career has been embroiled in controversies, has hit rock bottom in recent months. In October, Shaw was dropped from the Mumbai squad during the first phase of the Ranji Trophy due to disciplinary and fitness concerns. One month later, he was snubbed by all 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises at the mega-auction despite a base price of Rs 75 Lakhs.
The IPL snub was seen as the lowest point of Shaw’s career, which got off to a sensational start in 2018. Shaw, a child prodigy from Mumbai, announced himself on the big stage with a century on Test debut in 2018. But lack of discipline and several off-field issues prevented Shaw’s career from taking flight.
Shaw’s fall from grace: IPL snub and disciplinary concerns
Earlier this year, Ricky Ponting, the former Delhi Capitals coach, expressed concerns and hope about Shaw’s career and said that the talented cricketer needs to work on himself to be the best cricketer he can be.
Former DC assistant coach Pravin Amre recently told TOI that talent alone can’t take Shaw to the top and recalled how he was dropped due to indiscipline by the Capitals during one of the seasons. He also expressed hope that the IPL snub could work in his favour.
Shaw has tried to turn the tide during the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy but returned with a modest aggregate of 197 runs at an average of 21.88, with a single impactful knock in the tournament – a 26-ball 49 in Mumbai’s quarterfinal win against Vidarbha.
However, Shaw failed to fire in the final stages of the tournament, scoring just 8 and 10 in the last two matches and couldn’t make a useful contribution to Mumbai’s title-clinching campaign.
The path to redemption: Expert opinions and future prospects
Mumbai skipper Shreyas Iyer labelled Shaw a “God-gifted player” but also said that he needs to improve his work ethic.
“I think, personally, he is a God-gifted player. The amount of talent he possesses as an individual, no one has it. That’s true. It’s just that he needs to improve his work ethic”, said Iyer after Mumbai’s final victory against Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Shreyas also emphasised that nobody can help Shaw if he doesn’t help himself first.
“We can’t babysit anyone, right? Every professional who is playing at this level, needs to know what they should be doing,” added Iyer.
Iyer led Mumbai to a five-wicket win in the summit clash against Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru on Sunday as the record 42-time Ranji champions claimed their second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.
Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer has advised teammate Prithvi Shaw to improve his work ethic to get his faltering career back on track. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
