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Stressing a complete body transformation, former India selector Jatin Paranjpe suggested that Shaw needs to shed at least 7-10 kilos to get back his lost rhythm.
Prithvi Shaw (X)
While some rising stars of Indian cricket bagged lucrative deals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction last week, India opener Prithvi Shaw failed to attract any buyer in the two-day event in Jeddah. The former India U-19 World Cup-winning captain was once portrayed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, especially after he made his Test debut in 2018. However, things haven’t gone his way in the past few years.
Before biting the dust in the mega auction, Shaw was dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team, reportedly for his poor fitness. Later, the selectors picked him for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament but the right-hand batter failed to make the most of the opportunity. He had played 6 matches so far in the domestic T20 tournament, amassing scores of 33, 0, 23, 40, 0, and 34.
Former India selector and renowned figure in Mumbai’s cricketing circuit, Jatin Paranjpe, however, still has some faith in Shaw. In his latest column for Sportstar, he listed three points that Shaw must focus on to earn his reputation back.
“Firstly, he needs to have an organised mind. Secondly, he needs to have an organised game against spin. Thirdly, he needs to have an organised approach to his fitness conditioning,” Paranjpe wrote.
“Getting organised is pretty much the headline for the way he should be going about things. This is certainly a crossroads moment for him. It’s not a point of no return at all because he has age on his side. At 25, he still has time to make a comeback,” he added.
Stressing a complete body transformation, Paranjpe suggested that Shaw needs to shed at least 7-10 kilos to get back his lost rhythm.
“If I were Prithvi, I would quickly evaluate and conclude that fitness is a major missing piece in his game. Without it, his future in cricket is uncertain. I would stress this aspect: if he can lose between 7 to 10 kilograms of body weight without losing strength, that would be a crucial start. If I were in his position, I would camp in Chennai with Ramji Srinivasan for 10 days and completely dedicate the next two or three years to this transformation. The results would begin to show in the next 45 to 60 days,” he wrote.
“Having known him for a long time, I believe Prithvi loves batting. He needs to emulate legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, who, despite their immense success, continue playing for the sheer love of the game. Kohli, for example, is like a kid in a toy shop on the field. That passion is essential,” he further wrote.
