New Delhi: “I like to live in the present.” Summary of it Prithvi ShawAn outlook after a tumultuous phase that saw him lose his IPL berth and his place in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad. Back after a mental rehab, the Delhi Capitals batsman is choosing clarity over noise.“Last year when I didn’t play IPL, I enjoyed my life a lot. I went to a couple of places to refresh my mind a bit, and then I came back. The same routine, I practiced, worked hard… whatever I used to do, I started doing it three times. And I think it was a good break for me. I can’t say I took a step back”. Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
For Shaw, the time away helped him recover mentally and reconnect with his personal life.“It was just a necessary break, so that I could strengthen myself mentally. It was a good break and I enjoyed it a lot. I got a lot of family time, so I was happy with it.”Shaw, who has played 79 matches for Delhi Capitals since joining the franchise in 2018, has not found a taker in 2025. In IPL 2023 and 2024, his performance declined as he failed to cross 200 runs in both seasons and was subsequently dropped from the team.Admitting that the last few IPL seasons have not been ideal, he remains optimistic. “In the last two years, the IPL has not been very good for me. Not really bad, not really good. But obviously, people expect a lot, especially when it comes to an opening batsman.”For Shaw, the solution lies in going back to basics, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.“You have to give your 100% during practice… So, overall, it comes down to practice and hard work. And there has to be quality practice… At some stage, you have to have quality practice.”Labeled a prodigy from a young age, Shaw paid attention to outside expectations and admitted mistakes.“Sir, I didn’t write it. That I am this, I am that. I am a human being, I will make mistakes. And obviously, whatever is written outside, they know half of it, my family knows me, all the friends I have in my life, they know me inside. Whenever there are good things in social media or papers, or bad things,” DC said very boldly, I said.“If you look at social media every time, I’m here. Look in the paper, I’m here. So I stopped looking at those things. Those were the things that kept me away from it all. And I believed in myself because I know where I came from and how hard I’ve worked. People make mistakes. You’ve made mistakes in your life.”“I’ve made mistakes too. That’s it. It’s okay. Move on. It’s history. It’s all been done. It’s been years. I must have made some mistakes in my life. And I think that’s the time where I’m at my happiest mentally. I love being down to earth. This is my passion, and no one can take it away from me, no matter how much someone writes about me.”Shaw, who has played five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I, admitted that one of the toughest phases came when he was dropped from the Mumbai squad, a decision he disagreed with. He was dropped from the Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad last year due to poor fitness and lack of discipline. However, his fitness and discipline issues have grabbed more headlines than his performances in recent months, and Shaw was also unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction.“The reason given to me was not correct according to me,” he recalled. That’s why even then I left with a smile. I said, OK.“I didn’t talk to the selectors. I didn’t talk to the president. I didn’t talk to anybody.”“Maharashtra was a little closer to Mumbai, and I had friends there, so I went there. And it was great,” Shaw said.Shaw has done reasonably well for Maharashtra. The right-handed batsman scored 537 runs in seven matches, including a double century. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he managed to score 193 runs in six games, and in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 183 runs in seven outings with a strike rate of 160.The stats aren’t glamorous, but he got a chance to play, which was important to him, and it also changed his outlook on life.“I think we think too much about the future… I like to live in the present,” he said.Shaw also talked about limiting her support system.“For me, if someone has contacted me through WhatsApp or a call, whether someone has not, it doesn’t matter if they want the best for me.”“I used to talk to my coach Prashant Shetty, and my family was with me during that time. And that’s it. I don’t talk to anyone else.”Shaw admitted that he still aspires to play for India, and that his ultimate desire has not changed.“It would be wrong if I don’t think about a comeback because I am playing for it. Obviously, who wouldn’t want to play for India?”“I used to have goals, but when you don’t achieve them, you feel more pressure. So, I’m a present person. I love being here right now, talking to you guys.”Prithvi is likely to open for Delhi Capitals along with KL Rahul. The Akshar Patel-led side will begin their campaign against Lucknow Supergiants in Lucknow on April 1.
