‘He didn’t have a mother, he had to be…’, Read untold story of Prithvi Shaw

New Delhi: Prithvi Shaw has been in the spotlight ever since he went unsold in the 2025 IPL Mega Auction. Despite lowering his base price to 75 lakh from 2 crore, no team showed any interest in him, making him a topic of discussion in the cricketing world. Shaw, who set domestic cricket records early in his career, has had a journey full of ups and downs. He made a strong start to his international career with a Test century in 2018 but has played only five Tests since. Although he appeared in six ODIs and one T20I, his career never fully took off. Injuries and poor form have kept him out of the national team for a long time.

Shaw has faced criticism for his off-field activities as well. However, coach Raju Pathak, who has closely watched Shaw’s growth, believes it is unfair to expect a 25-year-old Shaw to behave like a 40-year-old.

Tough journey through challenging times

“They were not well off. His father was trying some business but it was not working out. They had seen hard times and growing up, Shaw had to depend on help from others. It wasn’t easy. And he didn’t have a mother (she passed away early) who could guide him the way only a mother can,” Raju Pathak said.

“He achieved success at a young age. The boy who once struggled daily and faced financial hardships at home now finds himself with a decent bank balance. When money starts flowing in, it’s natural to enjoy it, and this is something every player who has faced deprivation goes through. They want to live their life because this is what they dreamed of – fame and money. Many players have followed similar paths in the past. The issue is, we expect a 25-year-old Shaw to act like a 40-year-old mature man.”

Pravin Amre, former coach of Mumbai and Delhi Capitals, believes Shaw needs to focus on his fitness.

“What we want, to be honest, is for him to lose 10 kgs and become match-fit. His fitness is what’s holding him back. There’s no doubt about his cricketing ability. He is God-gifted, but the problem is he’s his own enemy. I don’t think anyone can motivate him now. Everyone has tried, but he has to motivate himself. If he’s going through a tough time, he should go and hit the nets. He needs to focus on both the gym and the nets,” says Amre.

coach of Rizvi Springfield School during Shaw’s schooling days, told The Indian Express.