'Stay away from social media': Pietersen's advice to Prithvi Shaw
Kevin Pietersen, the former England batter, has given a piece of advice to Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw, who has been in a downward spiral of late. The 25-year-old recently bagged two ducks in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. This came after he went unsold in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. Shaw was also dropped from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad over fitness issues.
Pietersen's guidance for Shaw's comeback
Pietersen has advised Shaw to surround himself with people who support him and guide him through this tough phase. He also asked the young cricketer to stay away from social media and focus on intense training to get back his fitness. "Some of the greatest sports stories are COMEBACK stories," Pietersen wrote on X, stressing on the importance of resilience to overcome career setbacks.
Shaw's performance in ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Shaw's woes continues in the ongoing 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he was dismissed for a duck in Mumbai's Group E match against Services. It was his second duck of the tournament. He has amassed only 96 runs from five matches at an average of 19.20. His strike rate is under 140. Shaw's highest score this season remains a quickfire 40 off just 29 balls against Nagaland.
Shaw's coach expresses concern over his form
Shaw's childhood coach Santosh Pingutkar is also disappointed with the cricketer's current form and off-field distractions. "Other activities, everything but his game witnessed a rise," Pingutkar said. He stressed that despite Shaw's love for the game, he has failed to convert this passion into consistent performance on the field. The coach hoped Shaw would return to form soon.
Shaw's recent controversies; IPL 2025 auction snub
Shaw has been at the center of a few controversies lately, including getting dropped from the Ranji Trophy team for being overweight and indisciplined. He was found to have a body fat percentage of 35% in tests, much higher than the permissible limit for players. Although he set a base price of ₹75 lakh for the IPL 2025 auction, no franchises expressed interest in him.
