Prithvi Shaw has taken charge as the new captain of the Maharashtra cricket team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025. This change became necessary after Ruturaj Gaikwad was recalled to India’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against South Africa. Since Gaikwad will be busy with national duties, he will miss most of the SMAT league matches.
Gaikwad was originally named captain when Maharashtra announced their 16-member squad last Friday. The squad did not include a vice-captain. This allowed the team management to make the leadership change smoothly when Gaikwad was called up for India.
Prithvi Shaw Gets a Fresh Start in SMAT 2025
On Monday, the Maharashtra selection committee made the announcement. The committee is led by former left-arm spinner Akshay Darekar. As reported by TOI, the members selected Shaw as the new captain after a collective discussion. Shaun Williams, the director of cricket and head coach of the senior team, was also part of the decision.
Shaw is familiar with leadership responsibilities. He captained India U19 to the 2018 U-19 World Cup title against Australia. Soon after, he moved quickly through the ranks. He played for India A and then made his senior India debut in the same year.
But the last few years have been difficult for him. Shaw has not played for India since 2021. He also went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction. This left him without an IPL contract. During the 2024/25 season, he was dropped twice from the Mumbai domestic squad. Because of this, he moved from Mumbai to Maharashtra before the 2025/26 season.
Despite these setbacks, Shaw has shown good form in the Ranji Trophy. He has scored 470 runs in seven innings. His runs include a double century and three half-centuries. His average is an impressive 67.14. Maharashtra will hope he continues this form in SMAT. Shaw also has a strong List-A record. He has scored 3,399 runs with 10 centuries, 14 fifties and two double centuries.
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Maharashtra is placed in a tough Group B. They will face Jammu & Kashmir, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Goa. All league matches will be played in Kolkata. Maharashtra will begin their campaign on November 26 against Jammu & Kashmir. Their final league match will be on December 8 against Goa.
Shaw now has a chance to lead, perform, and rebuild his career with a fresh start.
