Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw will play for Maharashtra in the upcoming Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai, from August 18 to September 9, 2025.
This will be Shaw's first tournament for Maharashtra after he left the Mumbai team due to fitness and discipline issues.
The Buchi Babu Tournament is a domestic multi-day cricket competition held every year in Chennai. It is considered an important event before the start of the Indian domestic season. For Shaw, it is a chance to make a fresh start in his career and prove himself again.
Maharashtra will be led by Ankit Bawane and includes star players like Ruturaj Gaikwad (India and CSK captain), who is returning from an elbow injury. Ruturaj and wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale will play only the first match before joining the West Zone team for the Duleep Trophy. Other well-known players in the squad are Arshin Kulkarni, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, and Mukesh Choudhary - all of whom play in the IPL.
Shaw, once seen as a future batting star, led India to win the U-19 World Cup in 2018 and scored a century on his Test debut the same year. However, his career has faced setbacks due to form and fitness problems. His last match for India was in July 2021.
Maharashtra has been placed in Group A along with TNCA President's XI, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The matches will be played at grounds such as the Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai.
For Prithvi Shaw, this tournament is a golden chance to show that he can return to top form and fight for a place in the Indian team again.
Why is Ruturaj Gaikwad not named as Captain?
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is an experienced campaigner and has captained Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, has not been named as captain, which is a big surprise. Although the reason behind Gaikwad's omission as captain is not clear, it is likely due to his long absence from the game, during which Ankit Bawne led the team.
