Prithvi Shaw, once touted as the next great hope of Indian cricket, has opened up about the personal missteps that led to his fall from grace. At 25, Shaw finds himself without a spot in the Indian national team, dropped from Mumbai’s domestic squads, and unsold at the IPL mega auction in Jeddah.
The Mumbai batter, recently granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mumbai Cricket Association, is seeking a fresh start. In an emotional interview with News24, Shaw candidly reflected on his downfall.
“I made some wrong friends”
Shaw admitted that distractions, poor decisions, and the wrong company derailed his once-promising career. “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,” he said.
“I started giving less time to cricket. I used to practice a lot… I never got tired of batting. But I got distracted. I started considering what was not necessary as necessary. I made some wrong friends. Because I was at the top at that time,” Shaw added.
Emotional toll and personal loss
Shaw also spoke about how the passing of his grandfather deeply affected him. “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 the setbacks, Shaw credited his father as his rock. “I admit my mistakes. But my dad has always supported me. No matter how bad my time was. He has seen good and bad.”
“I am on track now”
Shaw emphasized that he is refocused and back to basics. “I have gone back to basics now. The hard work I used to do five years ago, I think I have started that routine again,” he said. “I believe in myself. I don’t know how many people believe in me or not. But I believe in myself.”
He noted that while many of his peers stayed silent, Rishabh Pant remained supportive. Shaw added, “Only Prithvi Shaw can bring himself back there. No one else can. So I have left everything.”
“I am Jethalal of Taarak Mehta”
In a lighter moment during an interview with Dainik Jagran, Shaw likened himself to Jethalal, a character known for getting into trouble on the sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. “Controversies catch me. I am Jethalal,” he said.
Looking ahead
With his NOC in hand and a new training regimen underway, Shaw is determined to reclaim his cricketing future. Whether he returns to the top remains uncertain, but his mindset is clear: Prithvi Shaw is betting on himself again.
