Former India U-19 captain Prithvi Shaw was dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad on Monday (October 21) ahead of their upcoming match against Tripura. The Ajinkya Rahane-led side, which secured a nine-wicket victory over Maharashtra in the second Elite Group A match, will travel to Agartala for the third match of the season, scheduled to begin on October 26. According to a report from the Indian Express, Shaw, who made history as the youngest Indian batter to score a century on Test debut against the West Indies in 2018, was sidelined by the Mumbai selection committee due to poor fitness. He has been instructed to undergo a two-week fitness program designed by Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) trainers after team management noted his body fat percentage was 35%.
An MCA official stated that Shaw needs to undergo rigorous training and shed body weight before being reconsidered for selection. The Cricbuzz report further highlighted that the MCA selection committee, which includes Sanjay Patil, Ravi Thaker, Jeetendra Thackeray, Kiran Powar, and Vikrant Yeligeti, dropped Shaw due to concerns over his fitness and discipline.
Shaw reportedly has a history of being irregular in attending net practice sessions, missing two sessions for every one he attends, and not taking the practices seriously. Both the team management and selectors, including the captain and coach, were unanimous in their decision to exclude him. In the ongoing 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, Shaw played two matches for Mumbai, scoring 7 and 12 against Baroda, and 1 and an unbeaten 39 against Maharashtra. He was also part of the Mumbai team that won the Irani Cup 2024 against the Rest of India, where he contributed 4 and 76 runs. Shaw has been replaced by left-handed opener Akhil Herwadkar, who last played Ranji Trophy in 2022 for Chhattisgarh and has experience in 41 Ranji matches.
