Prithvi Shaw’s car was stopped by authorities in Amboli in southern Maharashtra on his way to Goa from Mumbai via Kolhapur as the India and Team Delhi batsman did not have the mandatory e-pass. Lockdown restrictions are currently in force in Maharashtra amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic and an e-pass is needed for travel.
When asked by Sindhudurg police officials in Amboli to produce the e-pass, Shaw said he had not obtained one. His car was not allowed to proceed further and Shaw had to apply for the e-pass online and wait for about an hour until the same was sanctioned. Thereafter he showed the e-pass to police and only then was he allowed to depart.
Shaw has not been picked in the India team for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton in June and the subsequent five-match Test series against hosts England in August and September. The squad already has four openers in Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance) and Mayank Agarwal, leaving no room for the Mumbai opener.
He was the fourth-highest run-getter in the 2021 Indian T20 League before it was postponed earlier this month after a few franchises’ bio-bubbles were breached.
Before the postponement, Shaw had made 308 runs from eight games for Team Delhi at a strike-rate of 166.48 with three fifties and a highest score of 82. He formed a productive opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan, who was the leading run-getter in the tournament with 380 runs.
Shaw is yet to make his T20I debut for India, and was dropped from the Test XI after the Adelaide Test against Australia last December, when he was bowled twice for 0 and 4, leading to criticism of his loose defensive technique. He subsequently lost his place in the team to his former India Under-19 teammate Gill, who has since impressed with a tighter game.
Featured image: AFP/ Noah Seelam
