Prithvi Shaw: The rise and fade of Indian cricket’s wonder boy

Last month, Rishabh Pant grew to become the most costly participant within the historical past of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he was signed by Lucknow SuperGiants for 27 crore rupees (£2.54m) on the mega public sale in Saudi Arabia.

But it was the information of Prithvi Shaw – Pant’s Delhi Capitals teammate – going unsold that grabbed extra consideration.

Among these seated within the public sale in positions to make bids had been Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting, who had been intently related to Shaw in his years with Capitals, as additionally Rahul Dravid, who was coach when India gained the under-19 World Cup beneath Shaw in 2018.

Their disinterest was telling. Shaw discovered no takers.

Ironically, simply 9 months earlier, earlier than the beginning of the 2024 IPL season, it was Pant whose profession appeared in jeopardy.

A horrific automobile crash in December 2022 had left him with a number of life-threatening accidents. But displaying iron will, nice dedication and self-discipline, Pant fought his method again from what appeared a dead-end to his profession.

Pant confronted the challenges of IPL 2024 head-on and excelled, incomes a speedy recall to worldwide cricket. He was a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad. Dominating the home season, he impressed within the home Duleep Trophy, paving the way in which for a sensational return to Test cricket. Against Bangladesh, he lit up the sector with a scorching century.

Shaw, in the meantime, beneath stress after a few poor IPL seasons, has lurched from one disaster to a different.

His detached type in IPL 2024 noticed him lose his place within the enjoying XI mid-season. A spate of low scores within the present home season noticed him lose his place within the Mumbai Ranji Trophy workforce too. And an outright rejection within the IPL mega public sale has introduced his profession to the precipice of a untimely finish.

It’s been a mighty tumble for the 25-year-old, who not too way back, was touted because the ‘subsequent huge factor’ in Indian cricket.

Shaw hit the headlines in November 2013 as a 14-year-old when he smashed 546 runs for Rizvi Springfield within the Harris Shield, a prestigious college cricket event. It was the best rating on the earth in minor cricket then.

Sachin Tendulkar, India’s most celebrated cricketer, had retired solely per week earlier, and Shaw earned an instantaneous comparability with the maestro.

Tendulkar’s spectacular rise to eminence following his world report 664-runs partnership with Vinod Kambli in a faculty recreation method again in 1987, had impressed fairly a couple of batting prodigies, particularly from Mumbai. Shaw was one in every of them.

A brief and stocky opening batsman, Shaw didn’t have the technical virtuosity Tendulkar had at the same time as a teen. But he had a present of timing, and took the assault to the bowlers with such panache that selectors had been immediately enamoured.

He was fast-tracked into first-class cricket, like Tendulkar, scoring a century on debut within the home Ranji and Duleep Trophy, which hardened comparisons between the 2.

In late 2018, he received a Test call-up in opposition to the West Indies. Shaw hit 134 off simply 154 deliveries, studded with rifle-shot drives, cuts and pulls. He was barely 19. Only Tendulkar amongst Indians had scored his maiden Test century at a youthful age.

Touted as a worthy successor to Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, Shaw had the world at his toes. But he is been on a slippery slope since.

Six years after his sensational debut he performed in solely 4 extra Tests. Add six ODIs and a solitary T20i, it nonetheless makes for a dismal mixture of worldwide appearances for a batsman whose precocity had promised an extended, dazzling profession.

An unlucky foot damage, which noticed him being despatched again from the tour of Australia in 2020 was the beginning of Shaw’s issues. Later that yr, he examined positive for a banned substance and was fortunate to get away with a lightweight sentence. Thereafter his batting type began declining steadily, touching excellence agonisingly occasionally to impress selectors.

Meanwhile tales of Shaw getting embroiled in wild parties and brawls began to unfold. By the center of IPL 2024, he was on discover, because it had been. After the IPL 2025 mega public sale, his profession appears engulfed in uncertainty.

Injury, sickness, and poor type can derail even the perfect, however these near Shaw reveal that misfortune has performed solely a minor function in his precarious downfall.

Ricky Ponting, who as Delhi Capitals coach labored intently with Shaw, says: “There’s only so much [advice] you can give and only so many times you can try [to sort him out] .”

Former India batsman Praveen Amre, who was assistant coach with Delhi Capitals was extra direct. “Prithvi’s inability to handle IPL fame and money has been his undoing. I’ve talked to him several times, giving him the example of Vinod Kambli who frittered away his career for the lack of discipline,’’ Amre told a national daily.

The IPL has revolutionised young players’ lives, offering a platform for talent and livelihood. Yet, the challenges of early success, instant fame,and rapid wealth remain pressing. Rahul Dravid, drawing on his experience as U-19 and India A coach, has emphasised the need for stronger junior-level mentoring to keep players on track. Shaw’s struggles underscore the importance of his insight.

What the future holds for Shaw time will tell.

At 25, he still has age on his side. But Indian cricket is overflowing with talent, and competition for places is intense. The path from here is all uphill.

“Some of the best sports activities tales are comeback tales, If Prithvi Shaw has first rate folks round him who care about his long run success, they’d sit him down, inform him to get off social media & practice his absolute bottom off in getting tremendous match. It’ll get him again into the right path the place previous success can return. Too proficient to throw all of it away,” Former England captain Kevin Pietersen posted on X.

The message to Shaw is clear. Redemption lies in his own hands.

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