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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, delivered a series of surprises, but the biggest shocker was Indian batter Prithvi Shaw going unsold. Shaw, a right-handed batter who had been a part of the Delhi Capitals since 2018, failed to attract any bids, Shaw’s former coach, Jawala Singh, opened up about the reasons behind this decline.
Prithvi Shaw’s former coach shares insights on Indian batter decline
Jawal shared that Prithvi came to him in 2015 for guidance, as he hadn’t yet played Mumbai Under-16 matches. Over three years, Jawal worked hard to develop Prithvi’s talent, leading to his success in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy and eventually the Under-19 World Cup. Jawal fondly recalled celebrating Prithvi’s birthday before the World Cup but expressed disappointment that they lost contact after 2017.
“Prithvi came to me in 2015 and was with me for three years. And when he came, he had not played Mumbai Under-16 matches, and his father asked me to guide him. Then in the next year, he played the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy and scored big in selection matches. And I worked very hard on him. He was talented from the beginning; I will not take full credit because many coaches have worked for him, but at that time it was only me. I was excited when he played in the Under-19 World Cup because he was my first student to do so. Before leaving for the Under-19 World Cup, he had celebrated his birthday with me. But after that, I have not seen him; that was 2017, we are in 2024; I have not seen him; he has not come to me,” Jawal said in an interview with Shubhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel.
Also READ: Prithvi Shaw UNSOLD in IPL 2025 Auction: Is this the end of Mumbai batter?
Shaw’s comparison to the current Indian cricket sensation
Jawala also emphasized that talent is just the beginning, akin to seed, and turning it into success requires consistency, which stems from lifestyle, work ethic, and discipline. He noted that staying at the top in international cricket demands continuous improvement, citing Sachin Tendulkar as an example of someone who refined his skills, fitness, and mental toughness. Players falter when they deviate from this process. However, he praised Yashasvi Jaiswal for his excellent work ethic and dedication, which set him apart.
“I think the process, which we call work ethic, so I feel if you are talented, talent is just a seed; to make it a tree, consistency is very important in that journey, and that consistency comes from your lifestyle, your work ethic, and discipline, so what I feel is that consistency is not with him. One can make a great start, which he did, but to stay at the top in international cricket, one has to improve his game all the time. Even Sachin Tendulkar refined his game consistently, fine-tuned his game, and worked on his fitness and mental toughness. So, I feel a player goes off track only if he gets away from the process. You will not fall back if your process and work ethic are fine, so I feel players fail because of that. As far as Yashasvi is concerned, his work ethic is superb; he really works hard, and he knows what to do. That is the main difference,” he added.
Shaw’s declining IPL form and dropped from international cricket
Shaw’s recent performances in the IPL paint a worrying picture. In the IPL 2024 season, Shaw played just eight matches, managing a total of 198 runs, with a solitary half-century. This was only marginally better than his 2023 performance, where he scored 108 runs in the same number of matches, again with just one half-century – he lowest total runs in any IPL season for Shaw.
The dip in form is not restricted to the IPL. Shaw has been absent from international cricket since 2021, with his last appearance being an ODI match against Sri Lanka in July of that year. Dropped from the Indian squad and struggling in domestic cricket, Shaw’s career trajectory has raised questions about his commitment and fitness.
