Prithvi Shaw (Pic Credit – X)

NEW DELHI: India batter Prithvi Shaw has sparked fresh speculation about his cricketing future after sharing a cryptic message on Instagram just days before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 resumes. The 24-year-old, who last played competitive cricket in December 2024 during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, posted an Instagram story on Wednesday that read: “I need a break.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Shaw has been in the headlines more for his struggles than his strokeplay in recent years. Once hailed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, his career has witnessed a steady slide due to poor form, recurring fitness issues, and off-field concerns. Who’s that IPL player?The talented opener was dropped from the Mumbai domestic squad earlier this year and went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, despite having scored 1892 runs in 79 matches for Delhi Capitals at a strike rate of 147.46.

His cryptic post comes just ahead of IPL 2025’s resumption on May 17, following a week-long suspension due to geopolitical tensions. The timing of his message has prompted fans and former cricketers to wonder whether Shaw is hinting at deeper issues or a possible change in direction.

Former Mumbai teammate and current Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh recently spoke about Shaw on a podcast, saying, “Prithvi Shaw is underrated. If he goes back to his basics, he can achieve anything… Maybe he needs to sleep at 10 PM instead of 11, improve his diet. If he accepts and changes some of these things, it would be the best thing for Indian cricket.”