What Happened?
230 players were picked for IPL 2025. Believe it or not, Prithvi Shaw isn’t one of them.
We all saw it coming. Or did we?
It feels absurd to exclude a 25-year-old Indian batter, once hailed as the next Tendulkar, who boasts an IPL career strike rate of 147. Meanwhile, a few players who retired years ago made the cut.
Prithvi Shaw’s story might be a gold mine for meme creators, but it goes beyond cricketing logic. He made his debut at 18, scored a century in his first Test, and yet, seven years later, has fallen out of favor—not just in international cricket but even in the IPL.
Yes, his recent form hasn’t been great. But his overall stats are far from abysmal. Surely, they don’t justify his complete absence from IPL squads.
To highlight his potential, here are a few tweets from cricketing legends:
The Controversy
The legends take the time to talk positively about Shaw, showing his prominent talent, which has not been utilised. Shaw’s story is less about his batting and more about what happens off the field—his attitude, behaviour, and self-sabotage.
Let’s not forget, Shaw was fast-tracked into international cricket way before any of his U19 teammates, largely due to the hype around his talent. That same hype created excitement among fans, but when the results didn’t match the expectations, the narrative shifted.
On paper, Shaw’s numbers are decent. So why has he become another “what could have been” story in Indian cricket folklore?
It all started going downhill after his eight-month doping ban in 2019—a massive blow in Indian cricket. Since then, Shaw’s image has taken a hit, one that still lingers.
Add to that his failure to pass the Yo-Yo fitness test in 2022 and persistent fitness issues, and it paints a picture of someone seemingly indifferent toward the demands of professional cricket.
When a player struggles on the field, the last thing they need is controversy off it. Unfortunately for Shaw, controversies have been a recurring theme. From being involved in a public altercation with a social media influencer outside a Mumbai club to his fitness troubles, these incidents have turned him into a punchline in the worst possible way.
I look at Shaw’s situation from two perspectives:
Point of View 1
He’s a player, and players have ups and downs. His IPL exclusion is an opportunity to work on his game and make a comeback. Even if he doesn’t, he wouldn’t be the first or the last player to fall short of expectations.
Point of View 2
The pressure on Shaw is amplified because we perceive him as a golden talent—the “next big thing.” This has led to disproportionately harsh judgments. If we viewed him like any other cricketer of his age, perhaps he’d face less scrutiny.
Consider his U19 teammates: except for Shubman Gill, none of them—Shivam Mavi, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag—have set the cricketing world alight.
The Road Ahead
Shaw’s IPL exclusion isn’t the end of the road. In fact, I believe it’s the best thing that could have happened to him.
But for Shaw to find his way back, he must take accountability. First, he needs to get his personal life in order—because success in cricket won’t come without it.
He should take some time away from the game to introspect. Work harder than ever, return to domestic cricket, score heavily, and make an undeniable case for his comeback.
One thing is certain: even if he makes it back on the field, he can’t afford to let his guard down off it. Shaw will always be judged differently than others—that’s the harsh reality of being a prodigy in cricket.
