Prithvi Shaw’s career has been topsy turvy from his first match itself. The right-hand batter made his India debut way back in 2018 when he played a Test against West Indies in Rajkot.
Many cricket fans and analysts had predicted the young batter to become a household name in the coming days and rise to greater heights. The 23-year-old batter however has been getting overlooked after playing 12 matches for the national team across all formats.
Now, despite performing well in the domestic circuit, the Delhi-born batter is failing to find a spot on the national side. Cricket fans continue to call for his inclusion into the team but the Indian Cricket Board is mum about the whole ordeal.
Recently Vikrat Gupta, a well-known cricket journalist was seen alleging an unknown reason for his exclusion from the team. In a video that is getting increasingly viral on social media, Gupta, while answering a question about Shaw’s place in the team says, “Sir milna to chahiye Gun player to hain, but kuchh ek aisi baaten mujhe pata chali hain jo yahan par to nahi hum baat kar sakte hain. Shocking! (Yes he should get a place on the side. He’s a gun player but I have come to know something that cannot be discussed here, Shocking!)”
When the other panellist says that he is a very talented player, Gupta says, “very shocking. Baar baar mana karne par bhi, jo bataya ja raha hai ( After being told innumerable times, from what I have heard)”
The other panellist then compares Shaw to Vinod Kambli who was also a talented player but could not make a great career due to disciplinary issues. Gupta then continues to say, “Main to kabhi bhi kisi din haske, matlab aankh band karke, Prithvi Shaw ko T20 team me daal dun. But ye unke andar se bhi aana chahiye ki mujhe India khelna hai Indian T20 League nahi (I could willingly put Shaw into the T20I team without much thought, but he should also be insistent on playing for the national side and not just Indian T20 League).”
Soon fans began coming up with suggestions and theories about what Gupta could be talking about.
Here’s how they reacted.
@vikrantgupta73 sir , it's a request . Ya toh aap whole scene bata de ya phir kuch bhe na bataye …. because this will create n number of assumptions in mind of many cricket fans . ?#PrithviShaw #INDvSL
— CricZone (@CricZone2023) January 5, 2023
@vikrantgupta73 clearly bolo bhai. Journalist hoke agar aap nehin bologe toh aur kaun bolega. Play with front foot paaji.
— Toll Free Thought ?? (@TollFreeThought) January 5, 2023
This is the funniest show ? seriously watch it once . All keep looking at their phones whole show , no one is allowed to speak anything . They all keep giving these type of half cocked news from their mobiles
— Mneesh (@manish_dev_) January 5, 2023
Another boria type of sports journalist
— Amar (@iamar1012) January 5, 2023
@vikrantgupta73 How can you say those things professionally? When you cannot say it then don't bring them up in the first place. What kind of reporting is this? @PrithviShaw You can take legal action against him. Defamation case to banta h.#cricketnews #vikrantgupta
— Shashank Goyal (@SHASHANKGOEL22) January 5, 2023
@vikrantgupta73 ?? ???????? ??, ?? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ??, ???? ?? ???? 15 ??? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??, ??? ?? ??? ?????
— Nobody (@R_Kay_R) January 5, 2023
This guy doesn’t know what BGT is, so stop believing his words
— Sahil Wadhwa (@SahilWadhwaa) January 5, 2023
This looks like some college canteen table discussion
— Nikhil Anil Chinchawade (@__nikhil_c7__) January 5, 2023
@PrithviShaw bhai, batao kya chal rha? Dekhna to hum bhi chah rahe tumhe khelte huye
— Digvijay Pratap Singh (@digvijay_veeru) January 5, 2023