“Taken A Lot Of Wrong Decisions In Life…”: Prithvi Shaw Reflects On Disrupted Career Path
Once touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, Prithvi Shaw has opened up about the downward spiral his career has taken, owning up to his mistakes and misjudgments that have left him on the sidelines of Indian domestic and international cricket.
In an emotional and honest interview with News24, Shaw revealed that he strayed from his cricketing path due to personal distractions and poor life choices. Once hailed by Ravi Shastri as a mix of Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Virender Sehwag, Shaw’s journey today paints a starkly different picture.
“I’ve taken a lot of wrong decisions in life. I started giving less time to cricket,” said Shaw, acknowledging how his decline began.
Shaw, who made a spectacular Test debut in 2018 with a century, now finds himself struggling to find a place in Mumbai’s domestic squads. He was dropped from the Ranji Trophy XI, not selected for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. No franchise even considered him as an injury replacement—something unthinkable just a couple of years ago.
He confessed how distractions and friendships during his peak fame pulled him away from his discipline:
“I made some wrong friends. They took me here and there. Then I got away from the track… I used to bat 3–4 hours in the nets daily, but things changed.”
Shaw also cited personal grief as a factor in his downturn, mentioning the passing of his grandfather, who was very close to him.
“I had a family problem. My grandfather had passed away. There are a lot of things I can’t tell you, but I can feel it.”
The 25-year-old’s honesty comes at a time when he has also sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to switch states and revive his career as a professional for another domestic team. His last professional outing was during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final in December 2024, and he hasn’t played competitive cricket in six months.
With undeniable talent but a rocky trajectory, Shaw’s admission signals a hope for redemption. Whether he can bounce back from these setbacks remains to be seen, but the first step — self-awareness and accountability — has finally been taken.
