Prithvi Shaw has broken his silence on his career downfall. In an interview, he admitted that distractions and a loss of discipline contributed to this. He also revealed how Rishabh Pant has stayed in touch with him during his struggles.
Once touted as one of Indian cricket’s most exciting young batters, Shaw’s downfall started in late 2020. After making a bright start to his Test career with a century on debut in 2018 versus the West Indies, Shaw was dropped from India’s Test squad following the tour of Australia in 2020-21. He last played for India in July 2021.
His domestic numbers also began to dip. Subsequently, Prithvi Shaw got dropped in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. The selectors further snubbed him for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, citing fitness concerns. Things went from bad to worse at the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) auction, where none of the franchises showed interest in the 25-year-old opener, making him one of the biggest unsold names of the season.
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Prithvi Shaw Opens Up On Career Setbacks, Distractions and Rishabh Pant's Support
Speaking to News24, while reflecting on his career missteps, Shaw spoke glowingly about his close friend and fellow cricketer Rishabh Pant, who is the only player to stand by him through the difficult times.
"Rishabh Pant keeps on contacting me, whenever he feels something is wrong," Shaw said as quoted to News24.
Shaw also stated that he was not shocked when he went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, saying he had mentally prepared himself for this.
"I wasn’t surprised when no team picked me. I was mentally prepared," he added.
Shaw did not shy away from owning up to his mistakes. He acknowledged that there was a phase where he lost focus and allowed distractions to affect his game and discipline.
"I have taken a lot of wrong decisions in life. I started giving less time to cricket. I used to practice a lot. For example, I used to bat for 3-4 hours in nets. I never got tired of batting. I used to go to the ground for half a day. I admit that there was a distraction."
The right-hander also opened up about the company he kept during his early rise, saying that fame at a young age made him vulnerable to bad influences.
"After that, I started considering what was not necessary as necessary. I made some wrong friends. Because I was at the top at that time. Friendship is also formed. Then they took me here and there. All those things. Then I got away from the track. I used to give 8 hours of practice on the ground. Now it is 4 hours," Shaw shared.
Prithvi Shaw Looking for a Fresh Start in Domestic Cricket
As Shaw tries to get his career back on track, he has decided to move away from Mumbai cricket. He formally approached the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), requesting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) that has now been granted to him.
In his letter to the MCA, Shaw shared that he has received an offer from another state association and believes that the move could help him grow as a cricketer.
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