The 26-year-old opener has spoken about his renewed focus on cricket, family and personal improvement as he targets a return to the India national team.
Prithvi Shaw has spoken publicly about his ambition to return to the India national team, saying he has adopted a focused lifestyle built entirely around cricket, family and personal improvement.
The opener added that he has stepped back from social media and unnecessary distractions as part of this renewed approach. Shaw made clear that his withdrawal from public life is not driven by any single reason.
"No, no, it is not about that. It is about a lot of these papparazzi people and all. And I just do not like going out anymore. I am working harder than ever before. Obviously, I am not quite on social media right now. I am just working on myself. Just me, my cricket and my family. Those are the only three things I am focusing on right now. Anything else, I am just trying to ignore or keep aside," Shaw told MyKhel.
What has Shaw's career journey looked like since his last India appearance?
Shaw announced himself on the national stage by captaining India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2018 and then scoring a century on Test debut against the West Indies. He has gone on to represent India in five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I, with his last international appearance coming against Sri Lanka in July 2021.
Injuries, inconsistent form and questions surrounding his discipline interrupted his progress over the years that followed. Mumbai dropped him from their Ranji Trophy squad in 2024 citing fitness and disciplinary concerns, and he went unsold at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Delhi Capitals brought him back into their setup for IPL 2026, though he did not feature in a match during that campaign.
Shaw's performances in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season provided a strong signal of returning form. He scored 537 runs across seven matches that season, including a 222 against Chandigarh, underlining his continued ability at the domestic level.
How has Shaw been performing in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season?
Shaw is currently captaining Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season. In their fixture against Services at Palam, he contributed 70 in the first innings. Maharashtra went on to record a convincing win, bowling Services out for 120 while defending a total of 248.
The combination of his domestic captaincy, recent run-scoring and the public commitment to a disciplined lifestyle reflects the seriousness with which Shaw is approaching his bid to return to the India setup. Whether this form translates into a sustained push for national selection remains to be seen. He revelead and what is to be done to how he is even more determined to perform and block out the outside noise.
"I feel that comments from outside do not really matter to me. What matters is what my family thinks about me and how I am as a person. I know myself and what are the right things to do to achieve a milestone," Shaw said.