Shashi Tharoor Bats for Prithvi Shaw: “Prodigious Talent Is Being Lost, Must Not Become Vinod Kambli...”
Parliamentarian and cricket enthusiast Dr Shashi Tharoor has expressed deep concern over the decline of Prithvi Shaw’s cricketing career, following the young batter’s failure to attract any bids in the IPL 2025 mega auction held in Jeddah. Shaw, once hailed as a prodigy, went unsold despite lowering his base price to Rs 75 lakh. Tharoor lamented the nation’s loss of such a talented cricketer and called upon the BCCI to intervene.
“What a prodigious talent is being lost to the nation! Prithvi Shaw must not become the Vinod Kambli of his generation—have we learned nothing from losing that genius’s services to self-destruction?” Tharoor wrote. He highlighted Shaw’s extraordinary achievements, including breaking schoolboy records and scoring centuries on debut in every format. Tharoor urged the cricket board to guide Shaw back to form, envisioning a Shaw-Jaiswal partnership as a world-beating opening pair for India.
Shaw’s fall from grace has been stark. The Mumbai batter, once a mainstay of the Delhi Capitals franchise, was not retained ahead of the 2025 auction. Ricky Ponting, former Delhi Capitals coach and now head coach of Punjab Kings, expressed disappointment at Shaw’s fate. “Prithvi is as talented a player as I’ve ever worked with. But the game catches up with you,” Ponting remarked, acknowledging Shaw’s struggles to regain his form and focus.
Shaw has also faced criticism off the field. Addressing the relentless trolling on social media, Shaw admitted that some comments have been hurtful. He shared a recent incident where a video of him dancing on his birthday drew harsh judgment from critics who questioned his commitment to cricket. “It was my 25th birthday. I was enjoying one day in a year with family and friends,” Shaw explained, calling for fairer public perceptions.
Fitness and disciplinary issues have also plagued Shaw, leading to his exclusion from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad earlier this year. However, he recently made a return to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad, signalling his determination to stage a comeback.
The comparison to Vinod Kambli, a once-promising talent whose career was cut short by similar struggles, serves as a cautionary tale.
