The under-fire Prithvi Shaw needs every bit of advice possible after going unsold at the IPL 2025 mega auction. The 25-year-old was ignored by all ten franchises when his name came up during the two-day event in Jeddah last week, failing to find a taker even in the accelerated process. Shaw has been in the news for reports of indiscipline, which led to his ouster from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad last month and his struggle for form, placing him in hot waters. With runs hard to come by – he has scored two ducks in five innings of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – and his fitness all over the place, the road ahead looks dark for Shaw, but an important piece of advice from Sachin Tendulkar, directed at all the young Indian cricketers, could serve as a wake-up call for him.

On Tuesday, Tendulkar inaugurated a memorial for his former coach, Ramakant Achrekar, where he shared a lesson in discipline with the nation's youth, urging them to be more respectful towards their kits. Calling it one of Archrekar's most valuable lessons, Tendulkar highlighted the importance of players being respectful towards their cricket equipment.

"Sir also taught us to respect our kits. Since retiring, I've been saying this to a lot of players, and I see this among many players. They walk back inside (after being dismissed), throw the bat and do a lot of other things. It's because of this bat that you are sitting in this dressing room today. So please never throw it," Tendulkar said.

"I can see a lot of young cricketers here. Please remember, never throw your kit, whether it be the bat or gloves or anything else. Always respect it. There is a place to keep them, and it should be there only. The frustration of your failure… don't take it out on your kits. This was the training sir gave us since we were kids, and all we can promise to do is pass on his message to the next generation. Whether I can do it as well as he did, I don't know. None of us can reach his level."

As Tendulkar mentioned, discipline starts with the basics, and Shaw can really use some of it. It's not like Tendulkar hasn't spoken to Shaw regarding his issues. In fact, when the BCCI suspended him for using a banned substance in early 2020, Tendulkar reached out to Shaw to get him back on track. But his advice seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as there's hardly been any improvement in Shaw or his game even after four years.

Prithvi Shaw's first meeting with Sachin Tendulkar

Shaw, once billed as the 'next Sachin Tendulkar', hasn't been spotted much with the Master Blaster, barring a couple of times. Recalling his first meeting with Sachin, around 2008, when Tendulkar was still an active cricketer, Shaw, yet to hit 10 at that time, recalled being a little overwhelmed by his presence.

"I came to know that Sachin sir also plays in MIG (Middle Income Group Ground). The club has a great reputation. I came to that club and started practicing. There, I saw Sachin sir playing, for the first time. I saw him in person for the first time. I saw him from a distance. He was practicing on the main wicket. At that time, I did not take a photo because there were many people. I was around 9 years old then. The next time I was batting, on the middle wicket, Jagdish sir [coach] requested Sachin sir to watch me bat," said Shaw on the Focused Indian YouTube channel.

"Sachin sir was standing on the first floor. I saw that sir was watching. And under that pressure, I missed two or three balls. Till then, I was batting fine. But when Sachin Sir was standing, my eyes were more on him than the ball. Eventually, I started middling and everything went well."

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