Mumbai batsman Prithvi Shaw has been away from cricket the past few months. The right-handed batsman was handed was handed a doping ban in July for inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups”. Returning to cricket in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy fixture for Mumbai against Assam, the opener slammed 63 runs in 39 balls to help his side to an easy win. Speaking after the match, Shaw revealed how former India skipper Rahul Dravid helped him during his doping ban.
“I had never thought that something like this would happen. I was obviously upset. For the first 20-25 days after I was banned, I was not able to understand how did it happen. Time passed by. I went to London and chilled out there as I was not allowed to practice till September 15. After that I stabilised myself and kept myself mentally stronger by telling myself these three months would pass. But each day was hard, it was getting longer. It’s all past now,” he said.
Also read: Prithvi Shaw slams 63 off 39 balls on return to cricket after ban
“There was nothing in my mind. I couldn’t have done anything about the ban. After returning from London, Rahul (Dravid) sir called me to the NCA for training. There I went through a series of fitness tests like yo-yo,” he further said.
“Under Rahul sir a lot of focus was on fitness. I had to clear all my fitness tests. What also helped was that during the nets good bowlers were available like Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvi (Bhuvaneshwar Kumar) and Varun Aaron. Besides, Rahul sir was always there for guidance and mental issues,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Under Rahul sir a lot of focus was on fitness. I had to clear all my fitness tests. What also helped was that during the nets good bowlers were available like Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvi (Bhuvaneshwar Kumar) and Varun Aaron. Besides, Rahul sir was always there for guidance and mental issues,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: ‘Each day was hard, it was getting longer’: Prithvi Shaw
“I think this period has been a big learning experience for me. Obviously I committed a mistake. I had no idea what I was consuming,” he said.
Shaw said his father was always behind him during the turbulent time. “In life ups and downs will be there. My father has stood behind me and nobody else is there. In these three months he was with me like he has been during the U-14 and U-16 days. He felt that he needed to be with me,” he said.