Sky is the limit for Shaw if he gets his work ethics right: Shreyas Iyer

Bengaluru, Dec 16 (IANS) Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer has urged struggling teammate Prithvi Shaw to better his 'work ethics' to excel in his career. Shaw was part of Mumbai's title-winning campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).

Mumbai defeated Madhya Pradesh by five wickets to lift the title for the second time on Sunday. Shaw, who was recently omitted from the Mumbai squad during the initial leg of the Ranji Trophy due to fitness concerns, made a comeback to the team for SMAT. The opener played in all nine matches of Mumbai's campaign, scoring 197 runs at a strike rate of 156.34 with an average just below 22. While he delivered five impactful cameos, his performances were mixed, with four low scores interspersed among them.

"I think, personally, he is a god-gifted player. The amount of talent he possesses as an individual, no one has it. That's true. It's just that he needs to improve his work ethics. And I have said it before as well in many of the interviews. He needs to get his work ethics right. And if he does that, you know, sky is the limit for him. Can you force him to? I can't force him. He has played so much of cricket. And everyone has given him inputs. At the end of the day, it's his job to go out there and figure out things for himself," Iyer said of Shaw.

Shaw was also dropped from Delhi Capitals' squad and went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction last month following his poor form in the IPL 2024 season.

"We can't babysit anyone, right? Every professional who is playing at this level, they need to know what they should be doing. And he has also done it in the past. It's not that he hasn't. He has to focus. He has to sit back, put a thinking cap on and then figure out himself. He will get the answer. No one can force him to do anything," Iyer added.

Shaw's 2023-24 season was disrupted by a knee injury during his Northamptonshire stint, which sidelined him from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He made a promising return in the Ranji Trophy, amassing 451 runs at an average of 50.11, showing glimpses of his potential. However, his IPL 2024 campaign was underwhelming, producing only 198 runs at an average of 24.75, with just one half-century, and he spent six matches on the bench.

As the 2024 season continued, Shaw's struggles deepened. In his four Ranji innings, he managed a meager 59 runs, highlighting his ongoing battle for form. His form further nose-dived in the SMAT as he scored just 8 and 10 in the last two matches to conclude his campaign for 197 runs at an average of 21.88.

Shaw has played five Tests, six ODIs and a lone T20I for India and his last appearance in national colours came in July 2021.

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