Here is the fascinating tale of two Indian cricketers who led the national team to an Under-19 World Cup victory. Prithvi Shaw and Unmukt Chand were once touted as the future of Indian cricket, drawing comparisons with the sport's biggest legends. Yet, as time progressed, their shine began to fade. While one made a brief international debut, the other sought opportunities overseas.
The focus here is on Prithvi Shaw and Unmukt Chand. There was a time when thousands of young aspirants dreamed of emulating these idols. However, while talent is vital, it must be complemented by discipline, consistency, and mental strength, which perhaps both players lacked.
Let's discuss Unmukt Chand first. The nation watched in awe when Unmukt Chand scored an unbeaten century (111*) against Australia in the 2012 Under-19 World Cup final, heralding the arrival of a new cricketing star. He was dubbed the 'future captain' of Team India, but he could never quite make it to the senior team.
Source: aajtak
The main reason behind this was his average performance in domestic cricket. Unmukt played for Delhi for eight years, even captaining the team, before moving to Uttarakhand with only moderate success. His first-class batting average stood at 31.57, which is below standard for red ball cricket. In the IPL, Unmukt represented Delhi Capitals (DC), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Mumbai Indians (MI), but he failed to make a significant impact, scoring only 300 runs at an average of 15 in 21 matches.
Despite his dedication, the selectors' lack of interest played a crucial role in derailing Unmukt Chand's career. With doors closing on him for Team India, in August 2021, he retired from Indian cricket to pursue opportunities in the United States. At 32, while still awaiting a chance to debut for the USA, he remains active in cricket.
Unmukt Chand aims to secure a spot on the American team, even taking on wicketkeeping duties. Currently, he's participating in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 for the Los Angeles Knight Riders. On June 22, 2025, Unmukt played a match-winning innings of an unbeaten 86 off 58 balls against Seattle Orcas, proving he still has plenty of cricket left in him.
Source: aajtak
Now, let's talk about Prithvi Shaw. At just 25, Shaw rose to fame at a young age, but later made headlines for reasons other than his cricketing prowess. In 2013, Shaw remarkably scored over 500 runs in a single club match. Leading the Under-19 World Cup team in 2018, Shaw cemented his reputation. He made a storming Test debut that year against the West Indies in Rajkot, scoring a century and drawing comparisons with greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) even featured him in a video dubbed 'The Next Sachin Tendulkar.' Expectations were sky-high for Shaw to accumulate heaps of international runs. However, fate took a different turn. He played his last match for India on July 25, 2021, in Colombo against Sri Lanka, debuting in T20 Internationals but failing to score. No further opportunities came his way for India, and he struggled in domestic games too.
Source: aajtak
Last season, Mumbai dropped Shaw from their Ranji Trophy squad due to poor fitness levels. Although he was selected for the Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25, he was overlooked for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, failing to attract bidders in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Shaw's career has often been plagued by controversy. In 2019, the BCCI suspended him for eight months due to a doping violation. Reports also emerged questioning his behavior in the dressing room. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he faced accusations of violating rules by holidaying in Goa without an e-pass. More recently, in 2023, an altercation with social media influencer Sapna Gill and friends led to a legal battle that's yet to be resolved.
Source: aajtak
Prithvi Shaw has played 5 Tests, 6 ODIs, and one T20I for India, accumulating 339 Test runs and 189 in ODIs. Recently, he was seen playing for the North Mumbai Panthers in the Mumbai T20 League. Shaw is now focused on preparing for the upcoming domestic season, contemplating leaving Mumbai for another state association to rejuvenate his career. He has requested a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to facilitate this transition. It remains to be seen if a change of team will indeed change his fortunes.
