"Some life decisions that he made" - Former India cricketer analyses Prithvi Shaw's fall after IPL 2025 axing
Indian opening batter Prithvi Shaw's downfall has been a big talking point lately, especially after he went unsold at the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. Former cricketer Robin Uthappa recently commented on the same and even offered a piece of advice for the youngster.
In a video shared on his Instagram handle, Uthappa opined that Shaw is himself to blame for his predicament. He indicated that the batter made some decisions which resulted in him falling out of favor with the selectors.
The cricketer-turned-expert said:
"From the youngest Indian to score a Test century on debut, to being completely out of the IPL auction and not being picked there, there were some life decisions that he made that have landed him in the place that he is at, at this point in time."
"Slowly, I think we started hearing stories. He got banned by the BCCI for about eight months because of a banned substance that was found in the cough syrup that he had had. He made an excuse of an injury when he didn't want to do some fielding practice, that gave him the tag of being slightly lazy," he added.
Uthappa further added that Shaw could still very well stage a turnaround. Suggesting a road to redemption path for the 25-year-old, he said:
"First, that acknowledgement needs to happen. Second, the ownership and the responsibility to say, 'I am going to fix things'. Three, he'll have to start small and he'll have to stop looking outside for approval. If he's able to get into that headspace and operate from that headspace, I have beyond a shadow of a doubt that he'll make a comeback, and he'll make a very strong comeback."
Prithvi Shaw is currently part of the Mumbai squad in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). He played an impactful 49-run knock in just 26 balls during his team's quarter-final clash against Vidarbha on Wednesday, December 11.
"Other activities apart from cricket witnessed a rise" - Prithvi Shaw's childhood coach on the batter's downfall
Prithvi Shaw's childhood coach Santosh Pingulkar believes that the opener's activities outside the cricket field played a big role in his downfall. He remarked that the talented batter's focus shifted from the game to his 'group'.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Pingulkar said:
"[Prithvi Shaw's] Other activities apart from cricket witnessed a rise. He was more involved in his group outside cricket. But, no doubt he loves cricket. However, he wasn’t able to convert his love for the game into his efforts. That’s why he is witnessing such a lean phase. He should bounce back as soon as possible. Everyone’s blessings are with him."
While Pingulkar acknowledged Shaw's inconsistency, he reckoned that the player wasn't struggling so much that he would attract no bids at the IPL 2025 auction. He added:
"No doubt, his performance hasn’t been up to the mark in the last 4-5 years. He has also struggled with his form in the ongoing season of the Ranji Trophy, but it hasn’t been so much worse that he will remain unsold. But he should now work hard and return to the Mumbai side."
Prithvi Shaw will be seen in action in Mumbai's SMAT 2024 semi-final against Baroda on Friday, December 13. He has scored 179 runs across seven matches at an average of 25.57 this season.