Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024/25: Prithvi Shaw records second duck
Prithvi Shaw's form remains a cause of concern for Mumbai, as he recorded another duck, this time in the 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Services. The out-of-form batter was dismissed after facing just three balls, getting knocked over by Poonam Poonia. This was his second duck in this tournament, with the first one coming against Maharashtra. Notably, Shaw has been in a downward spiral, more so after being unsold in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction.
Shaw's inconsistent performance in SMAT
Shaw was given another opportunity to prove his worth after Mumbai dropped him from the Ranji Trophy squad earlier. However, his form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been patchy. Out of four matches, he started well thrice but failed to convert them into big scores. His scores so far are 33, 0, 23, 40, and now another duck against Services.
Shaw's recent controversies and IPL 2025 auction
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.
A look at Shaw's journey
To recall, Shaw led India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2018. He broke a host of records before breaking into the national side that year. He even hammered a match-winning century on his Test debut (134 vs West Indies, Rajkot, 2018). However, Shaw was dropped from the Indian side following the 2020/21 Adelaide Test, where India perished for a record 36. Modest batting numbers and fitness issues have plave plaggued his career ever since.
