Prithvi Shaw will play county cricket for Northamptonshire. (Pic Credit: IG/prithvishaw)
Prithvi Shaw says few incidents have changed him and now he prefers staying indoors and has also stopped opening up to others.
Controversies have impacted Prithvi Shaw professionally and personally. There have been reports of indiscipline, attitude, a backdated ban for doping violation among others and then a recent altercation with a social media influencer for a selfie resulting in counter FIRs.
Shaw has faced the limelight since his teenage years. Long before he had made his India debut, the babyface Mumbai boy had already been branded as India’s next Sachin Tendulkar.
His performances added to the hype.
From school tournaments to age-group competitions, domestic cricket and captaining India to U-19 world cup win, Shaw seemed destined for big things.
A sparkling Test debut followed as he belted a quickfire century against West Indies. Sky was the limit.
And then controversies began to pile up which means he fell out of favour. He has only managed five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I so far having made his debut in 2018.
“When I was dropped [from the Indian team]I didn’t get to know the reason. Someone was saying it could be fitness,” Shaw was quoted as saying by Wisden.
“But of course I came here [to Bengaluru] and cleared all the tests at the NCA, again scored runs and again came back to the T20 team. But again didn’t get a chance in the West Indies. I’m disappointed but you just have to move forward. I can’t do anything, I can’t fight with anyone,” he added.
Shaw says the experiences he has had in the public sphere has forced him to close off and he rarely shares his thoughts with anyone.
“As a person, I just like to be in my own zone. People say a lot of things about me. But those who know me, know how I am. I don’t have friends, I don’t like to make friends,” Shaw said.
He continued, “This is what’s happening with this generation. You can’t share your thoughts with anyone else. If you ask me personally, it’s very scary. Darr lagta hai aajkal to share my thoughts. Every day social media mein aa jaata hai (I’m scared to share my thoughts. Somehow all of it comes up on social media). I’ve very less friends, only a couple of friends, and even with them I don’t share everything, only a few things.”
Shaw is enjoyed his own company and when he goes out alone in disguise to avoid being mobbed.
“If I go out, people will harass. They will put up something on social media, so I prefer not to step out these days. What do I do going out? Wherever you go, everything is hot (laughs). Jaana hi ban kar diya hoon (Wherever I go, trouble follows. I’ve stopped stepping out altogether). These days, I’ve been going alone even for lunches and dinners. I’ve started enjoying being alone now. A few days ago, I went alone to watch a movie – Insidious. Baap re baap, khatarnaak movie tha bahut (It was too scary). Glad it wasn’t in 3D. I was alone, couldn’t even ask someone to come and sit next to me (laughs),” he said.
Shaw had an ordinary IPL 2023 and he’s now gearing up for his first county stint with Northamptonshire.
Shaw says he cannot clear misconceptions about him since it’s impossible to stop people from talking.
“Even if I say, will they stop? They will keep saying. If I am doing good on the field, they will write good things about me. If I am not doing well (with my cricket), they will write: ‘Oh he went there, enjoyed somewhere, this and then’. It’s going to keep happening. It happens to the best of the players. When you are not performing, something negative does come out, even if it’s not reflective of the person. Even if I don’t step out, things will be said. We can’t stop them,” he said.
