Prithvi Shaw requests NOC from Mumbai Cricket Association, wants freedom to play as ‘professional’

Prithvi Shaw drops Mumbai bombshell, wants freedom to play as ‘professional

Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw has requested a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and told his parent association that he wishes to play as a "professional" for another state, according to a report.

“He has sought NoC from us and we will take decision on it soon,” a source in the MCA confirmed to The Indian Express.

After being dropped from a Ranji Trophy match last year by the Mumbai senior selection committee for being unfit, Shaw was given a two-week conditioning regimen designed by the MCA coaches. MCA was notified by the team administration that Prithvi Shaw need intense conditioning before he can rejoin the team because of his 35 percent body fat.

Shaw reportedly got bids earlier this month from two to three states. The MCA selection committee decided in October of last year that Shaw needed to lose a few pounds in order to play for the Mumbai team once more. His form and level of fitness never improved, therefore the selection committee decided to exclude him from the December 2024 Vijay Hazare Trophy as well.

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In his social media post in response to his axe, the 25-year-old quoted his List A numbers, asked what more he needed to do to persuade selectors, and promised to return. “Tell me God, what more do I have to see.. if 65 innings, 3399 runs at an average of 55.7 with a strike rate of 126, I’m not good enough… but I will keep my faith in you and hopefully people believe in me still… cause I will come back for sure.. Om Sai Ram..”

Shaw participated in the One Day Cup in England for Northamptonshire County, however he hasn't played List A in India since the 2022 Vijay Hazare tournament. There, his final five innings were 97, 72, 9, 23, and 17. He scored 32, 54, 39, 51, and 10 in his last five games for Mumbai two autumns ago.

Last year, when Mumbai defeated Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer was questioned about Shaw.

“We can’t babysit anyone, right? He has played so much of cricket. Everyone has given him inputs. At the end of the day, it’s his job to figure out things for himself. And he has also done it in the past. It’s not that he hasn’t. He has to focus. He has to sit back, put a thinking cap on. He will get the answer by himself. No one can force him to do anything,” Shreyas had said.