This has really shaken me: Shaw on his doping ban

Prithvi Shaw says he was left “shaken” by his positive dope test but will accept his fate with sincerity.

Shaw, who was tested positive by specified substance terbutaline, regretted not following the protocol.

“I have come to know today that I will not be able to play cricket till mid-November 2018. This is in light of the prohibited substance present in the cough syrup which I inadvertently took when I had severe cough and cold while playing for my Mumbai team during Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament in Indore in Feb 2019,” Shaw said in a statement on Tuesday.

“I was coming back off a foot injury which I suffered during the India tour of Australia and I was returning to active cricket during that tournament. However, out of my eagerness to play I didn’t follow the protocol of being careful in consuming a basic over the counter cough syrup.”

Things have gone worse for Shaw who impressed during his Test debut with a sparkling century against West Indies in Rajkot last year. An ankle injury during a warm-up game ahead of India’s Test series in Australia in November brought his rapid rise to a halt. He was later abruptly sent home amidst speculations of indiscipline. He played in IPL and later in the Mumbai T20 league too.

Shaw, who is still nursing an injury, said he would come out of this “faster and stronger.”

“I accept my fate with all sincerity. While I am still nursing an injury which I suffered during my last tournament, this news has really shaken me. I have to take this in my stride and hope it inspires others in our sports fraternity too in India that we as athletes need to be extremely careful in taking any medicines for the smallest of medical ailments even if the medicine is available over the counter.”