Prithvi Shaw: A look at controversies involving Mumbai batter following Ranji Trophy snub

Young batter Prithvi Shaw was dropped from the Mumbai squad for their Ranji Trophy third round match against Tripura. This is the latest setback in the 24-year-old’s already controversial cricket career. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), in their press release, did not state any reason for Shaw’s omission.

However, the report adds that this omission could help Shaw learn from his past mistakes. Having said that, Shaw, an Under-19 World Cup winning captain, has endured several issues regarding fitness and discipline during his career so far. We take a look at some of those here:

Doping controversy

Just a couple of years after guiding India to their fourth ICC Under-19 World Cup title, Prithvi Shaw was embroiled in a controversy over doping violation in 2019 . A BCCI press release had stated that Shaw had “inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups”.

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“Mr. Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing program during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match on 22nd February 2019 in Indore. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline. Terbutaline, a specified substance, is prohibited both In & Out of Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.

“Mr. Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. Mr. Shaw responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV but asserting that it was inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the over-the-counter cough syrup he had taken for his cough,” said the release.

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“Because Mr. Shaw promptly admitted his ADRV upon being confronted with it by the BCCI, there is discretion under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 to back-date the start of the period of Ineligibility to the date of sample collection (22nd February 2019). However, the BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 also requires Mr. Shaw to actually serve one half of the period of ineligibility. Therefore, further to BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2, the eight-month period of Ineligibility will be deemed to have started to run on 16th March 2019, so that it will end at midnight on 15th November 2019,” the statement had added.

Shaw thus missed South Africa and Bangladesh’s tours of India later in 2019, and returned to competitive cricket during India’s tour of New Zealand in early 2020.

Controversy regarding Yo-Yo test

Before the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season got underway, it was mandatory that all the BCCI centrally-contracted players take up the Yo-Yo fitness test, irrespective of being injured or not. Shaw wasn’t a centrally contracted player at the time but despite that, he undertook the Yo-Yo test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Shah had been retained by Delhi Capitals at the time.

Indian cricketers need to attain a minimum score of 16.5 to pass the test, but Shaw ended up scoring below 15, which raised questions regarding his fitness as well as his health overall.

Goa trip controversy

Prithvi Shaw was also involved in a controversy during the coronavirus pandemic. Shaw was detained and questioned by the police in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg in May 2021 for travelling to Goa for violating the lockdown rules and travelling without an e-pass. The e-pass was mandatory during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Shaw did not have that with him.

Shaw, however, was reportedly not aware of the rules and regulations that had been set by the Maharashtra government.

Controversy regarding a selfie

In February 2023, Shaw was involved in a “selfie controversy”. Shaw was reportedly involved in a brawl with a woman in Mumbai after the cricketer refused to take selfies. Shaw had been hanging out with his friends at a nightclub in Mumbai when the incident took place.

Hustle video of #Cricketer #Prithvishaw & #influencer #Sapnagill outside Barrel mansion club in vile parle east #Mumbai, it is said that related to click photo with cricketer later whole fight started. @PrithviShaw @MumbaiPolice @DevenBhartiIPS @CPMumbaiPolice @BCCI pic.twitter.com/6LIpiWGkKg

— Mohsin shaikh 🇮🇳 (@mohsinofficail) February 16, 2023

The woman was later identified as Sapna Gill, a social media influencer, and was accompanied by a man. The woman had wielded a baseball bat against Shaw and was later arrested by the Mumbai Police on riot and extortion charges. The Mumbai Police also booked seven other people for allegedly attacking the car of Shaw’s friend.

Sapna, however, later alleged that she was physically assaulted by Shaw and his friends. “Sapna was assaulted by Prithvi. A stick was seen in Prithvi’s hand. Prithvi’s friends assaulted the group first. Sapna is currently at Oshiwara police station. The police are not allowing her to go for medical,” her lawyer Ali Kashif had said.

In June 2023, the Mumbai Police told a court that Shaw was innocent in the case, adding that Sapna’s allegations were “false and unfounded”.

“Wife” controversy

Last year, Prithvi Shaw was caught up in another controversy. A photo on Instagram where Shaw could be seen posing with actress-model Nidhi Tapadia went viral. The Instagram story had the caption “Happy valentine’s my wifey”, and also had emojis of heart and kiss. Shaw, however, later clarified saying that the photo in question had been edited. “Someone editing my pics and showing stuff that I haven’t put on my story or on my page. So, ignore all the tags and messages. Thanks,” Shaw said.