Prithvi Shaw:
The Indian cricket team is in tremendous form these days. The team, under Rohit Sharma's captaincy, won the T20 World Cup 2024 in June. Subsequently, under Shubman Gill's captaincy, India defeated Zimbabwe 4-1 in a 5-match T20 series at their home. Now, the Indian team is on a tour of Sri Lanka, and the squad has been announced.
But amidst all this, questions are being raised about opener Prithvi Shaw. At one time, some fans and experts compared this star player to Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. However, this 24-year-old star seems to have disappeared.
Prithvi Shaw achieved success at a very young age. In 2013, he played an innings of over 500 runs in a club match in Mumbai. Later, under his captaincy, India won the Under-19 World Cup. He made it to Team India but remained in and out of the team consistently.
In fact, Prithvi Shaw is out of the Indian team. He played his last international match on July 25, 2021. This was also his T20 International debut. That means after playing his debut T20 International match, he did not get a place in the team.
In his T20 debut against Sri Lanka, Prithvi Shaw couldn't even open his account. He got out on the very first ball for a golden duck. Now, once again, as the Indian team tours Sri Lanka, Prithvi Shaw's absence raises questions. Let's explore how his career trajectory has gone downwards...
- Century on Debut, Injured During Australia Tour
Prithvi Shaw made his debut in a Rajkot Test against the West Indies. In October 2018, in his very first innings, he scored a century with 134 runs, making a stellar start. However, the December 2020 tour of Australia turned out to be his last major appearance. He played the first Test, scoring 0 in the first innings and 4 in the second.
After this, Prithvi Shaw got injured and was dropped from the team. Since then, he hasn't been able to secure his position in the Test team. Although he played ODI and T20 series in July 2021, he was completely out of the team afterward. Reports emerged about his poor behavior in the dressing room around that time.
- Failed Dope Test and Suspension
In 2019, Prithvi Shaw was embroiled in controversy when BCCI banned him. His cough syrup contained prohibited substances, leading him to fail a doping test. The board imposed an 8-month ban on him.
Source: aajtak
- Caught Traveling During COVID Lockdown
In May 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Prithvi Shaw decided to go on a vacation to Goa. He set off by car via Kolhapur without an e-pass. He was stopped by police in Amboli, Maharashtra. Prithvi Shaw pleaded with the authorities to let him go, but they didn't comply. After about an hour of waiting, he applied for an e-pass via mobile and was eventually allowed to proceed to Goa.
- Clash with Influencer Sapna Gill
The year 2023 didn't start well for Prithvi Shaw either. In a Mumbai hotel, he had an altercation with social media influencer Sapna Gill and her friends. The situation escalated to a physical confrontation, with videos going viral. Prithvi Shaw filed a case in which eight people were charged. Sapna Gill was also arrested. This incident is considered one of the significant controversies in his career.
Source: aajtak
- Poor Performance in Domestic Cricket and IPL
Amid controversies, Prithvi Shaw couldn't showcase his brilliant form on the field. Though he played some good innings on occasions, he couldn't secure a place in the team, as other younger players were performing better and consistently. In IPL 2024, while playing for Delhi Capitals, he scored only 198 runs in 8 matches at an average of 24.75, which wasn't enough for a comeback to the Indian team. His performance in domestic cricket was also disappointing.
