International Cricket

MCA Hits Out at Prithvi Shaw’s Dramatic Response to Exclusion from Vijay Hazare Trophy

An MCA official, speaking anonymously, highlighted Shaw’s poor fitness as a major factor.

Asela MadhusankaEditor

Posted - Dec 20, 2024, 4:37 pm 2024-12-20T16:37:54+06:00

Updated - Dec 20, 2024, 4:43 pm 2024-12-20T16:43:21+06:00

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has responded to Prithvi Shaw’s criticism following his exclusion from the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) squad, citing fitness and disciplinary issues as key reasons for the decision. Shaw, known for his immense talent, took to social media to question his omission, sharing his impressive List-A statistics and implying his frustration with the selectors.

An MCA official, speaking anonymously, highlighted Shaw’s poor fitness as a major factor. The official revealed that the team had to "hide" Shaw on the field during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) due to his inability to move quickly and effectively.

"In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, we were playing with 10 fielders as we were forced to hide Prithvi Shaw. The ball would pass near him, and he would barely be able to get to it," the official said.

"Prithvi Shaw missed training sessions regularly during SMAT as he would enter the hotel at 6am after being out at night. Everyone has given him the inputs, we can't babysit him. No one is Shaw's enemy, he is his own enemy"

The official further added that Shaw’s fitness issues have impacted not just his fielding but also his batting. Along with fitness, Shaw’s attitude and discipline were cited as concerns.

"His fitness, discipline, and attitude are poor. It is pretty simple—there cannot be different rules for different players. Even the seniors in the team have started complaining about his attitude now."

Responding to Shaw’s Instagram post, the MCA official asserted that social media outbursts would not influence the selectors’ decisions.

"Social media posts will not sway the Mumbai selectors or the MCA. Shaw needs to focus on his game, not on gaining sympathy."

Prithvi Shaw burst onto the scene with immense promise, scoring a century on his Test debut at the age of 18 against the West Indies in 2018. However, his career has since been plagued by injuries, fitness concerns, and inconsistent performances. Despite his early success, Shaw has struggled to cement his place in India’s ODI and T20I teams.