The rise and fade of Indian cricket’s wonder boy

Final month, Rishabh Pant turned the most costly participant within the historical past of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he was signed by Lucknow SuperGiants for 27 crore rupees (£2.54m) on the mega public sale in Saudi Arabia.

Nevertheless it was the information of Prithvi Shaw – Pant’s Delhi Capitals teammate – going unsold that grabbed extra consideration.

Amongst these seated within the public sale in positions to make bids have been Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting, who had been carefully related to Shaw in his years with Capitals, as additionally Rahul Dravid, who was coach when India received the under-19 World Cup below Shaw in 2018.

Their disinterest was telling. Shaw discovered no takers.

Paradoxically, simply 9 months earlier, earlier than the beginning of the 2024 IPL season, it was Pant whose profession regarded in jeopardy.

A horrific automobile crash in December 2022 had left him with a number of life-threatening accidents. However exhibiting iron will, nice dedication and self-discipline, Pant fought his manner again from what appeared a dead-end to his profession.

Pant confronted the challenges of IPL 2024 head-on and excelled, incomes a speedy recall to worldwide cricket. He was a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad. Dominating the home season, he impressed within the home Duleep Trophy, paving the way in which for a sensational return to Check cricket. Towards Bangladesh, he lit up the sector with a scorching century.

Shaw, in the meantime, below strain after a few poor IPL seasons, has lurched from one disaster to a different.

His detached kind in IPL 2024 noticed him lose his place within the enjoying XI mid-season. A spate of low scores within the present home season noticed him lose his place within the Mumbai Ranji Trophy staff too. And an outright rejection within the IPL mega public sale has introduced his profession to the precipice of a untimely finish.

It has been a mighty tumble for the 25-year-old, who not too way back, was touted because the ‘subsequent huge factor’ in Indian cricket.

Shaw hit the headlines in November 2013 as a 14-year-old when he smashed 546 runs for Rizvi Springfield within the Harris Protect, a prestigious college cricket event. It was the best rating on the planet in minor cricket then.

Sachin Tendulkar, India’s most celebrated cricketer, had retired solely every week earlier, and Shaw earned an instantaneous comparability with the maestro.

Tendulkar’s spectacular rise to eminence following his world file 664-runs partnership with Vinod Kambli in a faculty recreation manner again in 1987, had impressed fairly a number of batting prodigies, particularly from Mumbai. Shaw was one in all them.

A brief and stocky opening batsman, Shaw didn’t have the technical virtuosity Tendulkar had at the same time as an adolescent. However he had a present of timing, and took the assault to the bowlers with such panache that selectors have been immediately enamoured.

He was fast-tracked into first-class cricket, like Tendulkar, scoring a century on debut within the home Ranji and Duleep Trophy, which hardened comparisons between the 2.

In late 2018, he obtained a Check call-up in opposition to the West Indies. Shaw hit 134 off simply 154 deliveries, studded with rifle-shot drives, cuts and pulls. He was barely 19. Solely Tendulkar amongst Indians had scored his maiden Check century at a youthful age.

Touted as a worthy successor to Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, Shaw had the world at his toes. However he is been on a slippery slope since.

Six years after his sensational debut he performed in solely 4 extra Exams. Add six ODIs and a solitary T20i, it nonetheless makes for a dismal mixture of worldwide appearances for a batsman whose precocity had promised a protracted, dazzling profession.

An unlucky foot damage, which noticed him being despatched again from the tour of Australia in 2020 was the beginning of Shaw’s issues. Later that yr, he examined positive for a banned substance and was fortunate to get away with a light-weight sentence. Thereafter his batting kind began declining steadily, touching excellence agonisingly sometimes to impress selectors.

In the meantime tales of Shaw getting embroiled in wild parties and brawls began to unfold. By the center of IPL 2024, he was on discover, because it have been. After the IPL 2025 mega public sale, his profession appears engulfed in uncertainty.

Damage, sickness, and poor kind can derail even the very best, however these near Shaw reveal that misfortune has performed solely a minor function in his precarious downfall.

Ricky Ponting, who as Delhi Capitals coach labored carefully with Shaw, says: “There’s solely a lot [advice] you may give and solely so many instances you’ll be able to attempt [to sort him out] .”

Former India batsman Praveen Amre, who was assistant coach with Delhi Capitals was extra direct. “Prithvi’s incapacity to deal with IPL fame and cash has been his undoing. I’ve talked to him a number of instances, giving him the instance of Vinod Kambli who frittered away his profession for the shortage of self-discipline,’’ Amre advised a nationwide each day.

The IPL has revolutionised younger gamers’ lives, providing a platform for expertise and livelihood. But, the challenges of early success, instantaneous fame,and speedy wealth stay urgent. Rahul Dravid, drawing on his expertise as U-19 and India A coach, has emphasised the necessity for stronger junior-level mentoring to maintain gamers on monitor. Shaw’s struggles underscore the significance of his perception.

What the longer term holds for Shaw time will inform.

At 25, he nonetheless has age on his facet. However Indian cricket is overflowing with expertise, and competitors for locations is intense. The trail from right here is all uphill.

“A few of the best sports activities tales are comeback tales, If Prithvi Shaw has first rate folks round him who care about his long run success, they’d sit him down, inform him to get off social media & prepare his absolute bottom off in getting tremendous match. It’ll get him again into the proper path the place previous success can return. Too gifted to throw all of it away,” Former England captain Kevin Pietersen posted on X.

The message to Shaw is evident. Redemption lies in his personal fingers.

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