New Delhi: Prithvi Shaw’s immense talent was evident when he scored a century on his Test debut just before turning 19 in late 2018. However, in the six years since, he has played just 11 international matches. To reach the peak of his potential once again, his Mumbai captain, Shreyas Iyer, believes Shaw must first improve his “work ethics.”
Shaw was recently dropped from the Mumbai squad during the first leg of the Ranji Trophy due to fitness concerns. However, he made a return to the T20 side during their victorious 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) campaign, where Mumbai triumphed over Madhya Pradesh in the final on Sunday in Bengaluru. Shaw featured in all nine of Mumbai’s matches, scoring 197 runs at a strike rate of 156.34, with an average just under 22. While he played several impactful cameos, including five notable performances, his innings were also marked by four low scores.
“He needs to get his work ethics right, and if he does that, the sky is the limit for him,” Iyer said.
Earlier this year, Shaw was dropped by his IPL franchise, Delhi Capitals, before being released and going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction.
“We can’t babysit anyone, right? Every professional playing at this level needs to know what they should be doing,” Iyer said. “And Shaw has done it in the past; it’s not that he hasn’t. He needs to focus, take a step back, put his thinking cap on, and figure things out for himself. He will find the answers on his own.”
Last month, former Australia captain Greg Chappell wrote a letter to Shaw, urging the India batter to embark on a “journey of self-reflection.” However, Iyer stated that “no one can force” Shaw to do anything, as he “has played so much cricket, and everyone has already given him inputs.”
Iyer impressed with Mumbai’s ‘fearless’ youngsters
While praising his teammates, Iyer stated that “each and every individual stepped up at the right time” during Mumbai’s title-winning campaign in the SMAT. This victory marked Mumbai’s second title across formats since the previous domestic season, following their triumph in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy.
Iyer was especially pleased with the younger players who contributed to Mumbai’s triumph this season, stating, “The way they showcase their talent is simply phenomenal.”
“You should see their character and their approach both outside the dressing room and on the field,” he said. “They’re fearless in their approach, and these are the kinds of players we need to support as they progress. For me personally, whenever I step out there, I want to win every game. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing; winning is what makes me happy, and it’s everything to me.”
Although Mumbai had an experienced top five consisting of Ajinkya Rahane, Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Iyer—all of whom have represented India—their bowling line-up lacked exposure. All-rounder Suryansh Shedge made his T20 debut in this tournament, while five of Royston Dias’ nine career T20 matches came this season.
Others like Atharva Ankolekar, Mohit Avasthi, and Tanush Kotian entered the tournament with 12, 20, and 24 T20 matches, respectively. Shardul Thakur was Mumbai’s only bowler with significant T20 experience, having played 25 matches for India.
“If you look at our bowling line-up, there are hardly any Indian players,” Iyer said. “We struggled a bit right from match one [when they conceded 224 against Goa], but the way they showed their skills in the last two games, they really stepped up when the team needed them. Conceding around 170 on such a wicket [in the final, in Bengaluru], where the conditions improve under lights and it becomes easier for the batters, was a commendable effort.”
“I think it was a commendable performance from them. All in all, I would say it’s great fun to have such an amazing squad.”
