Prithvi Shaw - The Biggest Fraud or the Most Misunderstood Talent in Indian Cricket?
When Prithvi Shaw made his debut for India, fans and experts believed they were watching the rise of a future superstar. His batting style, confidence, and nature reminded many of Sachin Tendulkar. But years later, Prithvi Shaw finds himself out of the India National Cricket Team, struggling to regain form and fitness. This raised a heated debate - Is Prithvi Shaw the biggest fraud of Indian Cricket?
At just 18 years old, Shaw captained India’s Under-19 team and led them to victory in the ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup 2018. He made his test debut for India at just 18 years of age and became the second-youngest player to do so after Legend Sachin Tendulkar. Then, over the years, what happened with Prithvi Shaw which led him to such a bad condition compared to such a great start.
The Rise of Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw’s story began in 2013, when he first gained attention after scoring 546 runs in 330 balls in a Harris Shield School match. This record-breaking inning went viral across the cricket world, and people started comparing him with legends like Sachin Tendulkar. In 2018, Shaw captained India in the U19 World Cup and led them to victory in the tournament.
He got selected for the Indian test team in 2018 and scored the first century in the first game against the West Indies. He became the youngest Indian to score a test century on debut. Then, his life started a bullet train ride. Shaw got IPL contacts and a spot in white-ball cricket. He was playing regular cricket for the Indian team and was also performing exceptionally.
Prithvi Shaw Career Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | 50s/100s |
| Test | 5 | 339 | 42.37 | 2/1 |
| ODIs | 6 | 189 | 31.50 | 0/0 |
| T20Is | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| First Class | 58 | 4556 | 46.02 | 18/13 |
| IPL | 79 | 1892 | 23.94 | 14/0 |
Controversies and Downfall of Prithvi Shaw:
Despite having such a flying start in the early phase of his cricketing career, Prithvi Shaw experienced a sharp decline in his career trajectory due to multiple reasons.
Disciplinary Issues: A lot of complaints were issued by coaches and team management against Shaw for poor discipline and fitness. Although he publicly admitted to making “wrong friends” and losing focus on cricket because of distractions.
Doping Ban: In 2019, Prithvi Shaw was suspended for a doping violation, which led to a four-month ban for playing in International cricket. This interrupted his growth during a crucial phase of his cricketing career.
On-field Incidents: In recent times, Prithvi Shaw had a heated argument with Musheer Khan in the Ranji Trophy match, and reportedly, he flung his bat in frustration, leading to the umpire and other players' intervention.
Is Shaw a “Fraud” or Just Misunderstood?
Prithvi Shaw had a genuine talent and calling “biggest fraud” will ignore his talent and hard-work he did at his early age. His story reflects a young cricketer struggling with sudden fame, personal distractions, and massive outrage from fans.
However, he himself acknowledged his mistakes and expressed optimism about rebuilding his career. “I’m ready to start from scratch again. I believe in hard work and am positive about this season,” he recently stated in an interview.
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