The rise and fall of the boy prodigy in Indian cricket

Last month, Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he signed for Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 27 crore (£2.54 million) in the mega auction in Saudi Arabia.

But it was the news of Prithvi Shaw – Pant's Delhi Capitals teammate – not being sold that attracted more attention.

Among those sitting at the auction in bidding positions were Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting, who were closely associated with Shaw in his years with the Capitals, as well as Rahul Dravid, who was coach when India won the Under-19 World Cup under Shaw. In 2018.

Their disinterest was clear. Shaw found no takers.

Ironically, just nine months ago, before the start of the 2024 IPL season, his career looked in jeopardy.

A horrific car accident in December 2022 left him with several life-threatening injuries. But showing iron will, great determination and self-discipline, Pant fought his way back from what seemed like a dead end in his career.

Pant faced the challenges of IPL 2024 head-on and excelled, leading to a quick call-up to international cricket. He was part of the T20 World Cup winning team. Dominating the domestic season, he impressed in the domestic Duleep Trophy, paving the way for an exciting return to Test cricket. Against Bangladesh, he lit up the field with a scorching century.

Meanwhile, Shaw is under pressure after two poor seasons in the ISL and has gone from crisis to crisis.

His indifferent form in IPL 2024 saw him lose his place in the starting XI midway through the season. A string of low results in the current domestic season has seen him lose his place in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad as well. The complete rejection in the mega IPL auction has brought his career to the brink of a premature end.

It was a major stumble for the 25-year-old, who not long ago was being touted as the 'next big thing' in Indian cricket.

Shaw made headlines in November 2013 as a 14-year-old when he smashed 546 runs for Rizvi Springfield in the Harris Shield, a prestigious school cricket tournament. It was the highest score in the world in minor cricket at the time.

Sachin Tendulkar, India's most iconic cricketer, had retired just a week earlier, and Shaw earned instant comparison with the maestro.

Tendulkar's astonishing rise to prominence after his world-class 664-run partnership with Vinod Kambli in a school match in 1987, inspired quite a few batting prodigies, especially from Mumbai. Shaw was one of them.

A short, stocky opening batsman, Shaw did not have the technical prowess that Tendulkar had even as a teenager. But he had a gift for timing, and conveyed the attack to the bowlers with such skill that the selectors were immediately mesmerized.

He was quickly transitioned into first-class cricket, like Tendulkar, and scored a century on debut in the domestic Ranji Trophy and Duleep, hardening comparisons between the two.

In late 2018, he earned a Test call-up against the West Indies. Shaw made just 134 off 154 deliveries, studded with shots, cuts and pulls. He was barely 19 years old. Only Tendulkar among Indians has scored his maiden Test century at a younger age.

Shaw was touted as a worthy successor to Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, and had the world at his feet. But it's been on a slippery slope ever since.

Six years after his sensational debut, he played in just four more Tests. Add six ODIs and a solitary T20i, it remains a dismal collection of international appearances for a batsman whose precocious maturity promised a long and dazzling career.

An unfortunate foot injury that led to him being held back from the 2020 tour of Australia was the start of Shaw's problems. Later that year, he took the test Test positive for a banned substance He was lucky to escape a light sentence. Thereafter his batting standard began to decline steadily, and he painfully touched distinction rarely to impress the selectors.

Meanwhile, Shaw's stories get more involved Wild parties and Quarrels It started to spread. By the middle of IPL 2024, he was aware of this. After the mega IPL 2025 auction, his career seems to be mired in uncertainty.

Injury, illness and poor form can derail even the best, but those close to Shaw reveal that bad luck only played a secondary role in his perilous downfall.

“There's a lot of (advice) you can give and a lot of times you can only try to (solve the problem),” says Ricky Ponting, who as Delhi Capitals coach worked closely with Shaw.

Former India batsman Pravin Amru, who was an assistant coach with Delhi Capitals, was more direct. “Prithvi's inability to handle IPL fame and money was his undoing. I spoke to him several times, and gave him an example of… Vinod Kambli “Who wasted his career due to lack of discipline,” Amr told a national daily newspaper.

The Indian Premier League has revolutionized the lives of young players, providing a platform for talent and livelihood. However, the challenges of early success, instant fame, and quick fortune remain pressing. Drawing on his experience as an Under-19 and India coach, Rahul Dravid emphasized the need for stronger guidance at the junior level to keep players on the right track. Shaw's struggles underscore the importance of his insight.

What the future holds for the time will tell.

At 25, age is still on his side. But Indian cricket is brimming with talent, and the competition for places is very intense. The road from here is all uphill.

“Some of the greatest sports stories are comeback stories. If Prithvi Shaw had decent people around him who cared about his long-term success, they would sit him down and tell him to stay off social media and train his absolute ass to success.” “It will get him back on track where previous success can return as he is too talented to throw it all away,” former England captain Kevin Pietersen posted on X.

The message to Shaw is clear. Salvation is in his hands.

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