The life and times of Prithvi Shaw, in his own words. Success, failure, introspection, disappointments – he bares it all in a freewheeling chat.
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Speaking to Prithvi Shaw after the Duleep Trophy final, in a joint interview that becomes more of a heart-to-heart, a revelation is made: he doesn’t believe in the concept of best friends.
“People say a lot of things about me. But those who know me, know how I am. I don’t have friends, I don’t like to make friends,” Shaw tells Wisden India and Cricbuzz. “This is what’s happening in this generation. You can’t share your thoughts with anyone else.”
For the next half hour, Shaw shares. There is a lot of noise outside Shaw’s bubble, so much so that he no longer likes to leave it. As a person, he just likes to be in his zone.
“If I go out, people will harass. They will put up something on social media, so I prefer not to step out these days.”
“What do I do going out? Jaha bhi jaau, kuch na kuch hota hai (laughs). [Wherever I go, something or the other happens] Jaana hi band kar diya hoon [I’ve stopped going out only] These days, I’ve been going out alone even for lunches and dinners. I’ve started enjoying being alone now.
“I feel the concept of best friend has been created by us. ‘He’s my best friend’. Friends are fine, but there are no best friends as such. I also have, I am also a friend, but best friend – you won’t share everything with them. You won’t give your ATM pin to them, right? They say ‘best friend is the one who shares everything’. We can’t share all this, no?”
Shaw clearly isn’t shy of opening up, and has been happy to do so even more in the past. But he wears his new way of being easily. He isn’t completely closed off – there is a circle with whom he plays FIFA on Playstation, or just hangs out, and for the most part, being on his own suits just fine.
For now, a new chapter of his life awaits in the East Midlands of England. Shaw is looking at it as a fresh beginning – he wakes up every morning thinking something nice will happen. Outside his room, it is a different world altogether, one he takes on with a brave face.
“Whenever I get up, whenever I am meeting someone, even if I am sad or disappointed, I never make the other person feel that I am going through something. Whatever it be – anger, crying – I do it in my room. Once I open my door, I am smiling again.”
Eight years ago, in that Trans World Sport documentary, a baby-faced Shaw spoke passionately about his dream of donning the India kit. “You can’t buy it. It takes a lot of hard work to earn it,” a 15-year-old Shaw had said. “It will be very difficult, but if I focus and concentrate, one day I will wear it.”
Shaw reached the highest point and returned, but hopes to reclaim the summit soon. Just like his younger self, Shaw’s eyes glisten at the mention of his dream. “All the hard work is just for that [India comeback]. That is the one dream – I want to play, at least 12-14 years for India. I want to win the World Cup for India. That is there [one big goal], I need to achieve that in my life.
“I need to work hard and score runs. That’s the only way to get there. I am trying, let’s see.”
