'I made lots of mistake...' - Prithvi Shaw reflects on setbacks faced in his short cricketing career
Prithvi Shaw opens up on his career setbacks, admitting past distractions and vowing to return stronger with renewed focus and discipline.
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Once hailed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, Prithvi Shaw has endured a sharp fall from grace. The 25-year-old, who scored a century on his Test debut in 2018, has found himself out of contention for both national and domestic selections. Dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy playing XI and overlooked for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Shaw went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, failing to secure even a replacement spot despite widespread injuries across teams.
In a candid interview with News24, Shaw opened up about the darkest phase of his career, admitting that personal distractions played a big role. “There are a lot of things. It is different for people to see. Because I know what has happened. I can understand it. I have taken a lot of wrong decisions in life,” Shaw confessed. “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 young batter explained how he drifted away from his discipline and got influenced by the wrong company. “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,” he added.
In a candid interview with News24, Shaw opened up about the darkest phase of his career, admitting that personal distractions played a big role. “There are a lot of things. It is different for people to see. Because I know what has happened. I can understand it. I have taken a lot of wrong decisions in life,” Shaw confessed. “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 young batter explained how he drifted away from his discipline and got influenced by the wrong company. “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,” he added.
Family Troubles and Support System
Shaw also revealed that personal loss and family problems compounded his struggles. “It's not just that. I had a family problem. My grandfather had passed away. He was very dear to me. There are a lot of things that I can't tell you. But I can feel it.” Despite his struggles, Shaw acknowledged the constant support from his father, saying, “I admit my mistakes. But my dad has always supported me. No matter how bad my time was. He has seen good and bad.”
While he shared dressing rooms with senior stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Shaw said no senior player reached out to him during his low phase—except for Rishabh Pant, who stayed in touch throughout. Reflecting on going unsold in the IPL, he said, “I was mentally prepared.” Now holding an NOC from the Mumbai Cricket Association, Shaw is set to represent a new state. “I am on track now. I have gone back to basics now. The hard work I used to do 5 years ago, I think I have started that routine again... I believe in myself.”
“But one thing that dad has said. Only Prithvi Shaw can bring himself back there. No one else can. So I have left everything,” he concluded.
“But one thing that dad has said. Only Prithvi Shaw can bring himself back there. No one else can. So I have left everything,” he concluded.
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