"Tell me, God, what more do I have to see": Shaw after omission from Mumbai Vijay Hazare Trophy squad

Shaw was not included in the 17-member squad, consisting of Indian batter and Indian Premier League (IPL) winning captain Shreyas Iyer. The squad for the first three games has been selected, with veteran Ajinkya Rahane opting out due to personal reasons.

Shaw was part of Mumbai's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy-winning outfit, scoring 197 runs at an average of 21.88. His strike rate was an impressive 156.34, but his best score was a 26-ball 49 in the quarter-final against Vidarbha. However, he could not find a place in the squad for the 50-over tournament, having also missed the 2023/24 edition due to a knee injury.

Taking to Instagram, highlighting his impressive List-A cricket (one-day matches at all levels of professional cricket) statistics, Shaw wrote, "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".

In 65 matches, Shaw has scored 3,399 at an impressive average of 55.72 with a strike rate of 125.74, including ten centuries and 14 fifties. While he could make just 217 runs in seven matches with two fifties at an average of 31.00 in the 2022 edition of the tournament, the 2021 edition was a career highlight as he topped the charts with 827 runs in eight games at an average of 165.40, a strike rate of over 138, with four centuries and a fifty and best score of 227*.

Shaw also went unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction after being released by Delhi Capitals (DC). In the 2024 IPL season, he scored 198 runs in eight matches at an average of 24.75, with a strike rate of 163.64, including a solitary fifty (66).

Shaw, who debuted internationally in 2018 after leading India to victory in the U19 World Cup as captain, has represented India in only five Tests, six ODIs, and one T20I. His career has been marred by poor form, injuries, and disciplinary issues, which have pushed him down the selection order.

Notably, Mumbai's SMAT-winning captain Iyer stated on Monday that his teammate Shaw, under scrutiny for inconsistent form and fitness issues, needs to improve his work ethic as no one can "babysit him."

"He needs to get his work ethic right, and if he does that, the sky is the limit for him," Iyer was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

"We cannot babysit anyone, right? Every professional playing at this level needs to understand what they should be doing. And he has done it before; it's not like he hasn't. He needs to focus, sit back, put on a thinking cap, and figure things out himself. He will find the answers on his own," he added.

Mumbai squad: Shreyas Iyer, Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Jay Bista, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Siddhesh Lad, Hardik Tamore, Prasad Pawar, Atharva Ankolekar, Tanush Kotian, Shardul Thakur, Royston Dias, Juned Khan, Harsh Tanna, Vinayak Bhoir. (ANI)