Prithvi Shaw's career downfall: A list of controversies from doping violation to public brawl

Shortly after making his debut, Shaw was selected to play against Australia in 2018. Unfortunately, he sustained an ankle injury during training and was subsequently ruled out of the first Test. Shaw was promptly sent back home, with initial reports indicating that he was "losing focus." However, these speculations were quickly dismissed by the player himself.

Several months after making his debut in 2019, Shaw was suspended due to traces of terbutaline found in his urine samples collected during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The BCCI imposed a backdated ban of eight months as a result. In his response to the board, Shaw claimed that he had taken an over-the-counter cough syrup to treat a common cold, and the pharmacist had recommended it for immediate relief.

However, it was reported that the Mumbai physiotherapist was unaware of Shaw's flu symptoms.

India's former fielding coach, R Sridhar, shared an anecdote highlighting Ajinkya Rahane's exceptional leadership skills during a warm-up game in Sydney prior to the Test series. In his book, Sridhar recounts the incident: "There was this incident when Prithvi Shaw was fielding at short leg in a warm-up game in Drummoyne, Sydney. The batter went for a sweep and Prithvi got smacked. As he tried to limp off the park towards the dressing room, Ajinkya was quickly on his case. From his position at slip, he had clearly seen exactly where Prithvi had been hit, which was on the shin pad.

"Rahane went up to him and said firmly, 'Don't take one more step. No one will replace you on the field. I know nothing's wrong with you, I saw the ball hit you on your shin pad. Maybe you were waiting for an opportunity to go back inside, but that's not happening. Go back to short leg and get into position'. Prithvi knew his bluff had been called and subtly, Ajinkya had told the rest that he would brook no shenanigans."

During his seven seasons as the coach of Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting closely mentored Prithvi Shaw, who joined the team in 2018. In 2021, the Australian cricket legend disclosed that Shaw had declined to bat during a rough patch in the IPL, expressing his desire for Shaw to improve his approach to the game.

"He had four or five games where he made under 10 and I'm telling him, 'We have to go to the nets and work out (what's wrong)', and he looked me in the eye and said, 'No, I'm not batting today'. I couldn't really work that out.”

After the suspension of the Indian Premier League in 2021 due to the pandemic, Shaw made the decision to travel from Maharashtra to Goa in his car. However, he was halted during his journey for driving without an e-pass, which had been mandated by the government for travel during the second wave of the pandemic. Shaw was able to obtain an e-pass later on to continue his journey.

During the pre-2022 IPL fitness assessment, Shaw did not pass the yo-yo test, falling short of the minimum score of 16.5 for male players by scoring below 15. The National Cricket Academy hosted a camp for 25 Indian players to improve and sustain their physical fitness levels in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup later in the year.

While having dinner with friends, Shaw was approached by a group requesting selfies. He initially obliged, but reportedly denied their requests a second time. The group allegedly waited for Shaw to emerge from the hotel and then vandalized the windshields of his car.

Subsequently, social media influencer Sapna Gill made allegations that the cricketer had molested her, which were refuted by the police.

Prithvi Shaw participated in the first two matches of the current Ranji Trophy, scoring a total of 59 runs in four innings. However, he was not selected for the third round, a decision that has been interpreted as a cautionary measure for the 24-year-old.

Reports suggest that the team management and selectors have concerns about Shaw's physical condition, commitment to training, and overall attitude. It is believed that his exclusion from the squad is intended to send a message and help him realize the importance of discipline and dedication in professional sports.