Ignored by the Indian cricket team for several years, Prithvi Shaw has opened up about his struggles and revealed how playing video games helps him regain his confidence.
The right-handed batter made his international debut in 2018 and announced his arrival in style by scoring a century on his Test debut against West Indies.
However, a series of inconsistent performances saw him fall out of contention for the Indian team, with his last international appearance coming in July 2021.
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Shaw has represented India in five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I. Apart from his struggles with form, several off-field controversies have also affected his career.
Currently, Shaw is leading Maharashtra in the ongoing Ranji Trophy in the absence of regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Speaking to India Today, Shaw revealed that playing video games on his PlayStation is one of the ways he likes to unwind. FIFA and GTA are among his favourite games.
"I play GTA, and then I play FIFA, of course. I am very good at FIFA. I play online sometimes. Then I play Tekken. What else do I play? I play cricket as well. I have got my own career mode. I play as myself. If I get out for zero or something low, I go there and score 400 or 500. That is the kind of motivation I get from it. It is fun," said Shaw.
Shaw also revealed that he is not very active on social media and is focused on improving his form rather than worrying about the virtual world.
"I am working harder than ever before. Obviously, I am not quite active on social media right now. I am just working on myself. Just me, my cricket and my family. I just do not like going out anymore. I have my personal space. I do not like cameras around me when I am living my personal life somewhere," he added.
Shaw also said that he is not very active on social media and remains focused on improving his cricket rather than getting caught up in the virtual world.
The batter will be keen to make the most of his opportunities in domestic cricket as he looks to rediscover his form and get his career back on track.
During this difficult phase, Shaw was also dropped from the Delhi Capitals' playing XI in the IPL and went unsold at the 2025 mega auction.
Prithvi Shaw's Personal Life
Shaw's personal life has also attracted attention in recent weeks. Actor Akriti Agarwal reconciled with the cricketer just weeks after calling off their engagement.
Agarwal took to Instagram to share a note titled "A Personal Clarification", in which she explained that the opinions of people close to her had influenced her understanding of the relationship.
She also said that she had been "misguided" by those opinions.
Akriti wrote, "When I called off our engagement, I let the opinions of people close to me, who seemed to know our relationship better than we did, influence how I saw my fiancé and our relationship. I feel I was misguided, and I made a decision without giving us the honest conversation we deserved."
The latest developments come as Shaw continues to focus on his cricketing career and attempts to regain the form that once made him one of India's most promising young batters.
Whenever Prithvi Shaw is discussed, people will remember the famous words of former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who once said about the batter: “There's a bit of Sachin, a bit of Viru, and when he walks, there's a bit of Lara as well.”
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