England great sends Prithvi Shaw strong ‘social media’ advice amid career struggles

New Delhi: Prithvi Shaw has found himself in the spotlight following his omission from the IPL 2025 auction. Once hailed as the “next big thing” in Indian cricket, Shaw’s career has seen a steady decline. Despite being listed at a base price of ₹75 lakh, no franchise expressed interest in him during the auction, even after his name came up twice. For the first time since his IPL debut in 2018, the right-handed batter will not participate in the tournament.

In addition to his lack of form, Prithvi Shaw has faced significant criticism from former Indian cricketers and experts regarding his behavior and fitness, further impacting his career trajectory.

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has advised Prithvi Shaw to focus on achieving peak fitness and suggested that stepping away from social media could be a crucial first step in his journey back to success.

At just 25, Prithvi Shaw, who burst onto the scene with a Test century on debut as a teenager, now finds himself at a career crossroads after going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, even at a modest base price of ₹75 lakh.

Many, including former India ODI specialist Mohammed Kaif, believe that Prithvi Shaw’s off-field demeanor has impacted his on-field performances, leading to inconsistent displays despite his early promise.

“Some of the greatest sports stories are COMEBACK stories. If Prithvi Shaw has decent people around him who care about his long-term success, they’d sit him down, tell him to get off social media & train his absolute backside off in getting super fit. It’ll get him back into the correct path where past success can return. Too talented to throw it all away. Love, KP!,” Pietersen wrote on ‘X’.

Recently, Prithvi Shaw was dropped from the Mumbai Ranji team due to concerns over his fitness and weight. Though he made a return for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, his performances have remained underwhelming.