NEW DELHI: “I like to be in the present.” That sums up Prithvi Shaw’s outlook after a turbulent phase that saw him lose his IPL spot and his place in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy squad. Back after a mental reset, the Delhi Capitals batter is choosing clarity over noise.“Last year when I didn’t play IPL, I enjoyed my life a lot. I went to a couple of places to refresh my mind a little, and then I came back. The same routine, I practised, worked hard… whatever I used to do, I started doing it three times. And I think it was a good break for me. I can’t say that I took a step back,” Shaw told reporters ahead of Delhi Capitals’ intra-squad match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
For Shaw, the time away helped him reset mentally and reconnect with his personal life.“It was just a needed break, so that I can strengthen myself mentally. It was a good break and I enjoyed it a lot. I got a lot of family time, so I was happy with it.”Shaw, who has played 79 matches for Delhi Capitals since joining the franchise in 2018, found no takers in 2025. In IPL 2023 and 2024, his performances dipped as he failed to cross 200 runs in both seasons and was later dropped from the side.While admitting that the past few IPL seasons haven’t been ideal, he remains grounded about expectations. “In the last couple of years, IPL didn’t go very well for me. Not really bad, not really good. But obviously, people do expect a lot, especially when it comes to an opening batter.”For Shaw, the solution lies in going back to basics, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.“You have to give your 100% during practice… So, overall, it comes down to practice and hard work. And there should be quality practice… at some stage, you have to have quality practice.”Having been labelled a prodigy from a young age, Shaw addressed external expectations and admitted to making mistakes.“Sir, I didn’t write this. That I am this, I am that. I am a human being. I will make mistakes. And obviously, whatever is written outside, they know only half of it. My family knows me. I have kept as many friends in my life as my fingers, so they know me inside out. Whenever there were good things in social media or papers, or bad things, I was very young, obviously,” the DC batter said.“If you see social media every time, I come. If you see in the paper, I come. So, I stopped seeing those things. These were the things that kept me away from all this. And I had belief in myself because I know where I have come from and how hard I have worked. Humans make mistakes. You have also made mistakes in your life.”“I have also made mistakes. That’s it. It’s okay. Move ahead. That’s history. All that has happened. It’s been many years. I must have made some mistakes in my life. And I feel this is the time where I am very happy mentally. I love coming to the ground. This is my passion, and no one can take this away from me, no matter how much anyone writes about me,” he said.Shaw, who has played five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I, admitted that one of the toughest phases came when he was dropped from the Mumbai team, a decision he disagreed with. He was dropped from the Mumbai Ranji Trophy side last year due to poor fitness and lack of discipline. His fitness and discipline issues, however, have made more headlines than his performances in recent months, and Shaw also went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction.“The reason that was given to me was not valid according to me. So even at that time, I smiled and left. I said, it’s okay,” he recalled.“I didn’t talk to the selector. I didn’t talk to the president. I didn’t talk to anyone.”“Maharashtra was a little close to Mumbai, and I had friends over there, so I went there. And it was very good,” said Shaw.Shaw did reasonably well for Maharashtra. The right-handed batter scored 537 runs in seven matches, including a double hundred. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he managed 193 runs in six games, and in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he amassed 183 runs in seven outings, with a strike rate of 160.The numbers are not eye-catching, but he got the opportunity to play, which was important for him, and it has also changed his approach to life.“I feel we think a lot about the future… I like to be in the present,” he said.Shaw also spoke about keeping his support system limited.“For me, if someone has reached out to me through WhatsApp or call, even if someone hasn’t, it doesn’t matter if they want the best for me.”“I used to talk to my coach, Prashant Shetty, and my family was there with me in those times. And that’s it. I don’t talk to anyone else.”Shaw admitted that he still has the desire to play for India, and his ultimate ambition remains unchanged.“If I don’t think of a comeback, it will be wrong because I am playing for that. Obviously, who wouldn’t want to play for India?”“I used to keep targets, but when you can’t achieve them, you feel more pressure. So, I am a present person. I like to be here right now, talking to you guys.”Prithvi is likely to open with KL Rahul for the Delhi Capitals. The Axar Patel-led team will start their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 1.