Prithvi Shaw Reflects on Career Challenges and Setbacks

Prithvi Shaw's Journey in Indian Cricket
Prithvi Shaw, once a promising talent in Indian cricket, recently opened up about the ups and downs of his career. Once viewed as the next big star for the national team, he now finds himself out of the squad and struggling to secure a spot in domestic cricket. Shaw attributed his career derailment to poor choices and the influence of the wrong crowd.
Shaw made a sensational entry into cricket, leading the Indian team to victory in the Under-19 World Cup in 2018. That same year, he scored a century on his Test debut at just 18 years old, earning him a reputation as the future of Indian cricket. He has played 5 Tests, 6 ODIs, and 1 T20 for India, but has not been part of the Test team since December 2020 and has not returned to any format since July 2021.
Setbacks in IPL and Domestic Cricket
Shaw's career took another hit when he went unsold in the 2025 IPL mega auction. He was previously bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹1.2 crore in 2018 and retained for ₹7.5 crore in 2022. However, after two disappointing seasons, the franchise released him, and no team showed interest in acquiring him during the auction, marking a significant setback. Additionally, he was dropped from the Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad.
Acknowledging Mistakes and Poor Choices
In a candid discussion about his struggles, Shaw admitted to making several poor decisions throughout his career. He revealed that he fell into the wrong crowd, which adversely affected his professional life. In an interview with a sports channel, he stated, "I dedicated less time to cricket. Initially, I practiced for 4-5 hours and spent half my day on the field. However, after 2023, I began prioritizing the wrong things. I made bad friends and started to drift away from my focus. My time on the field reduced from 8 hours to just 4 hours."