New Delhi, Dec 17 Prithvi Shaw expressed disappointment and frustration after getting excluded from Mumbai's squad for the first three rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) announced its 17-member squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Tuesday, just two days after Mumbai's triumph in SMAT, where they beat Madhya Pradesh in the final.
Ajinkya Rahane, Mumbai's star performer in the SMAT with 469 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 164.56, has been rested following his request for a break. Rahane's contributions, which included five half-centuries as an opener, were instrumental in Mumbai’s success.
Shreyas Iyer continues as captain, with Mumbai naming a full-strength squad that includes stalwarts like Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Shardul Thakur. Opener Ayush Mhatre, who missed the SMAT to represent India in the Under-19 Asia Cup, returns to bolster the team.
Shaw, who was left out from the squad, took to Instagram to share his stellar List A record and reflect on the situation. "Tell me god, what more do I have to see…if 65 innings, 3399 runs at an average of 55.7 with a strike rate of 126, I'm not good enough…but I will keep my faith in you and hopefully people believe in me still…cause I will come back for sure. Om Sai Ram," Shaw posted on Instagram.
The decision to drop Shaw comes at a time when questions have been raised about his recent performances. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Shaw managed just 197 runs in nine innings with a highest score of 49 in the quarter-final against Vidarbha. His struggles with consistency have coincided with mounting scrutiny regarding his fitness and work ethic.
Shaw's exclusion follows a turbulent few months. Earlier in October, he was dropped from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad over concerns about his fitness and alleged disciplinary issues. His failure to secure a team in the recent IPL auction further amplified discussions about his declining form and work ethic.
Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer addressed Shaw's situation following their SMAT win, emphasizing the need for self-discipline. "He needs to get his work ethics right, and if he does that, the sky is the limit for him. We can't babysit anyone, right? Every professional playing at this level needs to know what they should be doing. He has also done it in the past; it's not that he hasn’t. He has to focus, sit back, put a thinking cap on, and figure it out himself," Iyer stated.
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