The ability to score runs quickly is a big reason for Shaw's rise through the ranks since winning the Under-19 World Cup for India in 2017. He had a stunning introduction to Test cricket, scoring a century on debut, but has since then struggled to deal with the quality of bowling on offer in international red-ball cricket. He played his last game as a first-choice pick for India in 2020 and only managed to get back when they had to send a second-string side to Sri Lanka in 2021.