Harbhajan Singh, former India cricketer, has suggested that young batter Prithvi Shaw, should look at someone like Virat Kohli when it comes to fitness and work his way back into prime form.’
Once considered a prodigy, Prithvi Shaw was looked at as the next Sachin Tendulkar, given that like the master blaster, Shaw had achieved a lot at a very young age. He captained India to U19 World Cup glory in 2018 and made his Test debut for India the same year, scoring a century on debut against the West Indies.
He was also picked by the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL in 2018 and everything was going well for the young cricketer. However, post-2020, injuries, form, and disciplinary issues have threatened to derail a once-promising career.
Perhaps the rock bottom for Shaw came when Mumbai dropped him from their Ranji Trophy squad due to his inability to work on his fitness and skipping practice sessions. He also went unsold in the recent IPL 2025 mega auction despite a base price of INR 75 lakhs.
Harbhajan commented on the Indian batter's decline, stating that he needs to assess the situation and decide how to go with his career. The former spinner believed that everyone made a mistake when comparing Shaw to Sachin Tendulkar early in his career.
"I don't know what happened, but whatever did, I feel this is something Prithvi Shaw will need to take stock of and decide how to approach his career going forward. Such things either make or break a career, and it's up to Shaw to decide which road he wants to take. It's very tough for any player to digest that he's gone unsold at the auction.
And this a player who people said is as talented as Tendulkar. Our problem is that they started comparing him so early with a player as big as him [Sachin]. You put pressure on the player. But with Prithvi Shaw, there are many more factors than just cricket," Harbhajan Singh was quoted by India Today.
Harbhajan advised Shaw to work hard on his fitness and feels that the Mumbai batter can go a long way if he does that.
"I wish him well. I hope he emerges out of this setback stronger. Work hard on his fitness; he's a very young guy. Must be around 24-25. He can go a long way if he focuses on his fitness. Because of the Prithvi Shaw that we saw and the version of him we are seeing now – even size-wise – he clearly has ignored his fitness. Whereas look at the fitness of Team India players, and it reflects on the ground. If he needs to look up to someone, make sure it's Virat Kohli. I wish Shaw all the best so that the next generation can also learn from him," said Harbhajan.
Shaw is currently playing for Mumbai in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2024.
