RGV of Cricket: Women, Controversies End Career?

Prithvi Pankaj Shaw was once cricket’s biggest prodigy. Now, he is in the worst phase of his career after he could not be sold at the IPL 2025 auction. His new ‘nayans’ remind one of Ram Gopal Varma (RGV), who was celebrated for making famous films but now abhors all for his personal scandals and provocative online presence.

But what has reflected his bad outputs in the IPL at Mumbai is the exclusion from the Ranji squad due to fitness and discipline-related issues. Shaw’s off-field indulgences have overshadowed his talent, much like RGV whose career was eroded by similar personal issues.

The transformation of RGV from a visioned director to a social media troll is aptly reflected in Shaw’s lack of professionalism, shown in fitness problems and off-field diversions. Both let their personal problems take precedence over their work, which had an impact on their legacies.

Like RGV, Shaw’s fame is under a threat of being dominated by scandals rather than his actual talent. If nothing changes, he may turn out to be the “RGV of Cricket,” synonymous more for his personal feats than cricketing ones.

Now, Shaw needs the ability to focus and put aside all those distractions that have nagged at him earlier. If not, he may end up joining RGV as a precursor warning of lost talent and as an example of how talent ends up being lost due to lack of professionalism and discipline.