Prithvi Shaw Ducks in Horror Ranji Start for Maharashtra
October 15, 2025—Prithvi Shaw's highly anticipated Ranji Trophy comeback for Maharashtra turned into a nightmare on Wednesday, as the talented opener was dismissed for a golden duck in his first innings and followed it up with another first-ball exit in the second, leaving fans and former teammates stunned in the opening match against Kerala at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The 25-year-old, who switched from Mumbai to Maharashtra ahead of the 2025-26 season in a bid to revive his flagging red-ball career, faced immediate scrutiny after the horror double failure, raising fresh questions about his temperament and technique in the longest format.
Shaw, once the poster boy of Indian cricket after his U-19 World Cup triumph in 2018 and a blistering IPL debut, has been on a downward spiral since 2022, plagued by injuries, form slumps, and off-field controversies. His move to Maharashtra, announced in August 2025, was seen as a fresh start under coach Pravin Amre, but the two ducks against Kerala's seam attack—dismissed by off-cutter Sandeep Warrier both times—have cast a long shadow over his ambitions. As Maharashtra slumped to an innings defeat by 120 runs, Shaw's horror start dominated headlines, with captain Kedar Jadhav defending him post-match: "Prithvi's a fighter—this is just one bad day; he's our X-factor."
The incident, unfolding on a seamer-friendly pitch under overcast skies, has reignited debates on Shaw's Test recall prospects, especially with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia looming in November 2025. In this 2000-word analysis, we dissect the ducks' drama, trace Shaw's turbulent journey, explore reactions from peers and pundits, examine technical takeaways, assess implications for Maharashtra and India, gauge fan sentiments, and ponder his path to redemption. On October 15, as the Pune pitch dries under the sun, Prithvi Shaw's horror start isn't a full stop—it's a stark reminder of talent's tightrope.
The Horror Start: Two Ducks in Pune's Peril
The Maharashtra vs Kerala Ranji opener on October 12-15, 2025, at the MCA Stadium in Pune was meant to be Prithvi Shaw's redemption arc, but it unfolded as a horror show under gray skies that aided swing and seam. Kerala, inserting Maharashtra after winning the toss, posted 312 in their first innings, with opener Rohan Kunnummal's 89 setting the tone. Maharashtra's reply began disastrously: Shaw, opening with Ruturaj Gaikwad, faced the first ball of the innings from Sandeep Warrier, a 32-year-old Kerala seamer with 150 first-class wickets.
Warrier's off-cutter, angling across the right-hander at 132 km/h, found the edge as Shaw pushed tentatively forward, the ball looping to second slip where Sachin Baby pouched it easily. Duck number one: 0 off 1 ball, and Shaw trudged off to a smattering of applause from the 5,000-strong crowd. Maharashtra recovered to 250 all out, Gaikwad top-scoring with 78, but in the second innings, chasing 63 for victory, Shaw's second horror unfolded: Warrier, opening again, slanted another off-cutter across, Shaw nicking to first slip for 0 off 1—his second consecutive golden duck.
The double failure, in just 2 balls, left Maharashtra reeling at 0 for 1, and they collapsed to 62 all out, losing by an innings and 1 run. Warrier's 6/45 earned Man of the Match, but Shaw's ducks dominated discourse. Horror: Start's sting, Pune's peril.
Prithvi Shaw's Career Trajectory: Peaks, Valleys, and the Pune Plunge
Prithvi Shaw's career is a rollercoaster of prodigious peaks and perplexing plunges, a narrative that makes his Pune ducks all the more poignant. Born on November 9, 1999, in Thane, Maharashtra, to a modest Marathi family—father Pankaj a ratings agency employee—Shaw was a batting prodigy by age 10, scoring a triple century in the 2013 Harris Shield final for Rizvi Springfield, Mumbai's highest. The 2018 U-19 World Cup, where he captained India to victory with 545 runs at 136.25—including a 134 vs Australia—earned him the Player of the Tournament and a fast-track to IPL stardom.
Delhi Capitals bought him for Rs 1.2 crore in 2018, and Shaw's 2019 IPL orange cap (544 runs at 60.44) led to a Test debut vs West Indies in 2018 (134 on debut). Ranji highs: 2016-17 debut century vs Tamil Nadu, 2022-23's 379 vs Assam (second-highest ever). But valleys followed: 2020 doping ban (3 months), 2021 shoulder injury, 2023 IPL slump (106 runs in 10 innings).
2025 switch to Maharashtra: A bid for Ranji revival, but Pune's ducks—his first in Ranji since 2019—revive recall doubts. Trajectory: Peaks' pinnacle, valleys' void, plunge's pain.
Reactions from Teammates: Jadhav's Defense and Gaikwad's Support
Teammates rallied around Shaw post-Pune. Captain Kedar Jadhav: "Prithvi's our spark—ducks happen to the best; he'll bounce back." Ruturaj Gaikwad, partnering in both failures: "Shaw's a fighter—his 2023 Ranji 379 was magic; this is a blip."
Tushar Deshpande: "Bowled to him in nets—he's class; Warrier got lucky." Support: Defense's drum, teammate's tide.
Coach and Selectors' Perspective: Amre's Assurance, Agarkar's Angle
Coach Pravin Amre: "Shaw's technique is sound—ducks don't define him; expect fireworks soon." Selectors' Ajit Agarkar: "Pune was poor, but Shaw's potential trumps patches—door open for Australia."
Perspective: Assurance's anchor, angle's aim.
Technical Analysis: Shaw's Struggles with Seam and Swing
Shaw's ducks spotlight technical tussles with seam: High hands inviting off-cutters, tentative push against Warrier's 132 km/h. In 2025 domestics, 25% dismissals to seam, footwork forward but bat lagging.
Solutions: Lower guard, delayed trigger—Amre's drills. Analysis: Struggles' spotlight, seam's snare.
Implications for Maharashtra and India: Ranji Revival and Test Recall
For Maharashtra, Shaw's ducks dent the top order, 2025-26 target of Group A semis in jeopardy. India: Test recall—last in 2023—fades, Jaiswal-Gill pair solid. Implications: Revival's ripple, recall's rift.
Fan Reactions: Shock, Support, and Social Storm
Fans reeled, #ShawDucks 1.5 lakh tweets by October 15. Mumbai's Wankhede vigils 2,000 strong: "Prithvi Rise!" Support: 60% posts "Bad day," memes of "Duck Tales."
Storm: Shock's shockwave, support's surge.
Path to Redemption: Shaw's Comeback Plan
Shaw's plan: Net sessions with Amre on seam, mental coaching with Paddy Upton. Target: 500 Ranji runs by December. Redemption: Plan's path, comeback's call.
Conclusion
October 15, 2025, digests Prithvi Shaw's horror Ranji start for Maharashtra, two ducks in Pune a plunge from prodigy to peril. From U-19 glory to seam's sting, Shaw's saga stumbles. As Jadhav defends and fans faith, the ducks demand determination—redemption's road, Ranji's rise awaits.
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