Prithvi Shaw slapped with suspension for doping violation

Last year in December, Prithvi Shaw was all set to play his maiden overseas Test in Australia after making his debut in October 2018 versus the Windies. However, the rub of the green didn’t go his way and he was ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury which he suffered during a practice match in Sydney. Thereafter, he played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy followed by the cash-rich IPL.

The youngster also won’t be taking part in the two-match Test series against the Windies, which is set to take place after the conclusion of the ODI and T20I series, starting on August 3 at Lauderhill, Florida. He is recovering from a hip injury. Recently, Shaw has been encircled with more misery. The youngster has been handed a back-dated suspension until November 15, 2019 for a doping violation.

A massive blow for Prithvi Shaw

As per a release by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups. He had earlier provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing program during the SMAT tournament match on February 22 in Indore. His sample was thereafter tested and found to contain Terbutaline.

However, the board was satisfied with his explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat a Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug. On that basis, he would be ineligible to play for eight months. On July 16, Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1.

The eight-month ineligibility period will be deemed to have started to begin on March 16, 2019, so that it will end at midnight on November 15, 2019. But Shaw can return to train with his State team and/or to use the facilities of any club or other member organization of the BCCI after midnight on September 15, 2019 under the BCCI’s ADR Article 10.11.2.

Shaw broke into the national squad for the series versus England last year. But he didn’t get to play a match. He has been a revelation in domestic cricket, having churned out a significant number of runs. For the time being, he has to wait for the suspension to end in order to make a comeback.