“Prithvi Shaw’s Snub Is Due to His Own Mistakes”: Mumbai Cricket

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has reacted to Prithvi Shaw's recent outburst following his exclusion from the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad, saying that the explosive batter has consistently flouted disciplinary guidelines and is "his own enemy." An official of the association added that Shaw's fitness issues were so acute during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that the team had to "hide" him on the field.
"The ball would pass by him and he hardly tried to get hold of it," the official said, speaking anonymously to PTI. "He couldn't even reach the ball while batting. His fitness, his discipline, and his attitude are all lacking, and we can't have rules different for different players," the official said.
The problems were not only with his performance on the field. Shaw allegedly missed training sessions and came back to the team hotel late at night. This has frustrated the senior players, who have begun to express their dissatisfaction.
Prithvi Shaw expressed his disappointment after being omitted from the 16-member Vijay Hazare squad by the Mumbai Cricket Association despite being part of the city's title-winning Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy team. However, an MCA official said that such posts will have no impact on the selectors: "Social media posts won't influence the Mumbai selectors or the MCA. Shaw needs to focus on his game, not on seeking sympathy," said an MCA official.

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Shreyas Iyer, Shaw's teammate and Mumbai captain, summed it up after Mumbai won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, even giving some direct advice in the process. "He needs to improve his work ethic. If he does, there's no limit to what he can achieve," Iyer said. "We can't babysit anyone. Ultimately, it's his responsibility to sort things out."
Shaw has been the sensation of the Test circuit since his century in 2018 at just 18 years against West Indies. He then did not do well afterward, with only four Tests to date, the last in 2020, and white-ball international games restricted to no games since 2021 for ODIs and T20Is.
Off-field controversies and inconsistent performances have overshadowed Shaw's talent. In October, he was dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad and given a fitness program at the MCA Academy, which he reportedly didn’t follow properly.
His struggles continued when he went unsold at the IPL auction despite a modest base price of Rs 75 lakh, another setback for a player once seen as India’s future star.
The cricketing world has come in unison to deplore that Shaw could not convert the immense talent in him to reality. "No one is Shaw's enemy. He is his own enemy," the MCA official said.
For Shaw, it would be self-reflection and better fitness, combined with a renewed commitment to the game, that would help him look forward to reviving his career and living up to his once-promising potential.