Prithvi Shaw: A once bright cricket talent now faces challenges

Once touted as the next Sachin Tendulkar, Prithvi Shaw's once-promising cricket career has taken a puzzling turn. Initially celebrated as a bright, emerging talent, Shaw's international presence has been limited to just five Test matches, six ODIs, and a single T20I for India.

Compounding his struggles, the 25-year-old recently went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, and he has been omitted from Mumbai's squads for the prestigious Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy. Shashank Singh, a standout performer for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and a former teammate of Shaw, shared insights into Shaw's tribulations.

During an appearance on the Shubhankar Mishra podcast, Shashank discussed Shaw’s potential and struggles. Highlighting Shaw as an underrated talent, Shashank expressed confidence in Shaw's capabilities, provided he returns to the fundamentals of cricket.

"If he goes back to his basics, he can achieve anything," Shashank remarked. Having played club cricket alongside Shaw in Mumbai since the latter was 13, Shashank provided a glimpse into Shaw’s challenges, citing potentially beneficial changes in his work ethic and lifestyle, such as adjusting his sleeping schedule and dietary habits.

"Maybe he can change something about his work ethic, maybe sleep at 10 PM instead of 11 PM, maybe improve his diet," Shashank suggested. However, he acknowledged that Shaw likely has access to expert guidance.

"He does not need me to advise him. He probably already has 10 better people giving him advice," Shashank commented.

Recently, Shaw took the field as captain of the 'Route Mobile' team in the DY Patil T20 2025 tournament. Despite his efforts, Shaw did not attract any bids in the IPL 2025 auction, setting a modest base price of Rs 75 lakh but failing to secure a contract with any of the 10 teams.

Contrasting Shaw's challenges, Shashank Singh is experiencing a career upswing. Following his breakout performance in IPL 2025 with the Punjab Kings—where he scored 354 runs at an impressive strike rate nearing 165—he became the franchise's first retention for a hefty Rs 5.5 crore ahead of the mega auction.

His rising popularity was evident as he was the ninth-most searched athlete on Google in 2024, alongside Hardik Pandya as the only other Indian in the Top 10.

As the Punjab Kings, now led by captain Shreyas Iyer, aim for their first-ever championship, Shashank is poised to play a crucial role in their campaign, leaving the cricketing world to wonder if and when Prithvi Shaw will reclaim his past glory.