"He is his own enemy" - Former DC assistant coach on Prithvi Shaw's shocking downfall after India debut
Young opener Prithvi Shaw going unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction has created an uproar among cricket experts and fans alike. Once touted as the next Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbai cricketer didn't find any suitor despite having a base price of INR 75 lakhs.
Former Delhi Capitals (DC) assistant coach Pravin Amre, who has seen Shaw from close quarters, feels that Shaw needs to fight with himself to regain his lost form.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Amre highlighted that the 25-year-old batter needs to lose at least 10 kilograms and motivate himself to return to where he once belonged.
“What we want, to be honest, is that he loses 10 kgs and becomes match fit," Amre said. "What is stopping him is his fitness. Nobody has a doubt about his cricketing skill. He is God-gifted but the problem is, he is his own enemy. Now, I don’t think anybody can motivate him."
"Everybody tried and I think he has to motivate himself now. Nobody else can help him. If you are going through a tough time, go and hit the nets. He has to hit the gym and the nets both."
Amre was part of the Delhi management when they first bought Prithvi Shaw during the IPL 2018 auction, spending INR 1.2 crore soon after leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title.
He showcased his talent only in his second IPL match, scoring a 44-ball 62 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. His best IPL season came in 2021 when he finished as the seventh-highest scorer with 479 runs in 15 innings.
Prithvi Shaw also had a blockbuster Test debut in 2018, scoring 134 against the West Indies in Rajkot. However, his form has gone down since then, managing only five Tests and six ODI appearances for India.
He also became irregular in Delhi's playing XI and was eventually released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction before being left out of Mumbai's Ranji Trophy side earlier this year.
"Because of that body weight, he is late on the ball" - Pravin Amre on Prithvi Shaw
Despite admitting that there is nothing wrong with Prithvi Shaw's game, Pravin Amre reckons that lack of fitness is stopping him from going to the next level.
“But in his case that time has been long and that is what we are worried about," Amre highlighted. "He should not go in a reverse direction now from here. He is now an adult, to be honest, he has to help himself right now."
"He has good hand-eye coordination. But for that timing, he needs to have proper footwork. And because of that body weight, he is late on the ball. He is not able to transfer the weight, his feet are not moving. He is not in the right position. And that is why we want him to work on his fitness.”
Prithvi Shaw is currently part of the Mumbai side that is participating in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024. He has aggregated only 130 runs across six innings, with his highest score of 40 coming against Nagaland.
Mumbai, meanwhile, secured a thrilling win over Andhra yesterday (December 5) to book a knockout spot from Group B.