"Too talented to throw it all away" - England legend reacts as Prithvi Shaw goes unsold at IPL 2025 auction
Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has expressed his disappointment at Prithvi Shaw's downfall. The 44-year-old believes that the young opener still has time to return back to his best.
The cricketer-turned-commentator further advised him to take a break from social media and focus on training. Pietersen reckoned that Shaw needed the company of right people around him who could help him in his redemption.
The reaction comes days after the Mumbai batter went unsold at IPL 2025 auction. The 25-year-old had registered himself at a base price of INR 75 lakh.
Kevin Pietersen wrote on X:
"Some of the greatest sports stories are COMEBACK stories. If Prithvi Shaw has decent people around him who care about his long term success, they’d sit him down, tell him to get off social media & train his absolute backside off in getting super fit. It’ll get him back into the correct path where past success can return."
"Too talented to throw it all away. Love, KP!" he added.
The reaction comes after Shaw departed for a three-ball duck in the ongoing 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Tuesday, December 3. This was his second duck in his last five innings.
"Look up to someone" - Harbhajan Singh's advice to Prithvi Shaw
Harbhajan Singh, meanwhile, has advised Prithvi Shaw to look up to role models like former captain Virat Kohli to inspire himself and return to his best. The legendary off-spinner said (via India Today):
"He clearly has ignored his fitness. Whereas, look at the fitness of Team India players, and it reflects on the ground. If he needs to look up to someone, make sure it's Virat Kohli. I wish Shaw all the best so that the next generation can also learn from him."
"I wish him well. I hope he emerges out of this setback stronger. Work hard on his fitness; he's a very young guy. Must be around 24-25. He can go a long way if he focusses on his fitness," he added.
Harbhajan further spoke about the deterimental effects of expectations and going unsold in IPL auction. He concluded:
"It's very tough for any player to digest that he's gone unsold at the auction. And this a player who people said is as talented as Tendulkar. Our problem is that they started comparing him so early with a player as big as him [Sachin]. You put pressure on the player. But with Prithvi Shaw, there are many more factors than just cricket."
Prithvi Shaw made his India debut in 2018 but soon faded away. In IPL, he has amassed 1892 runs in 79 innings, including 14 half-centuries.