Not often a player is hailed for having a game like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. Not often does a player get fast-tracked into the Indian national team and score a 99-ball century on his Test debut. Everything was aligned for Prithvi Shaw like any budding cricketer aspires to. However, after eight years, taking India to an Under-19 World Cup win remains the highest point in his career. From being one of the best youngsters in the world, Shaw has gone into obscurity.
But now, life has given him another chance. Life, a.k.a. the Delhi Capitals, which remain the only team Shaw has represented in the IPL. After spending seven consecutive seasons with the franchise from 2018 to 2024, Shaw was let go by the management. The then-head coach Ricky Ponting was disappointed by the talent and after two ordinary seasons, DC’s faith in Shaw was over.
What were problems with Prithvi Shaw?
Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Arshdeep Singh and Shubman Gill are some of the names who were part of Shaw’s Under-19 team in 2018. All these four players have attained success in their young careers. Gill is the face of Indian cricket, leading the ODI setup and Tests. Arshdeep is a two-time T20 World Cup champion. Abhishek’s blitz has made him the most exciting T20 batter in the world currently, while Parag is leading Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2026.
Shaw, however, is nowhere near the Indian team. Not even India ‘A’. As a matter of fact, he is not touted to start from the get-go for his IPL franchise DC. Well, Shaw has no one but himself to blame for this. He always had talent. But mere talent cannot take you far. One must work hard, perhaps an area where Shaw lacked.
What went wrong with Shaw was not a sudden fall but a slow unravelling. Off the field, things began to drift. A doping suspension in 2019 stalled his early momentum, and since then, there have been repeated whispers about discipline.
Instances of arriving late for training, lack of application during tough phases, and even being pulled up by senior players like Ajinkya Rahane did not help his cause. Shaw himself has admitted that he lost focus at times, getting distracted by things away from the game when he should have been doubling down on his cricket.
Fitness became another sticking point. In an era where Indian cricket has set high physical standards, Shaw struggled to keep up. Failing the Yo-Yo test in 2022 was a red flag, and concerns around his weight and conditioning only grew louder. Selectors began to look past him, even in domestic cricket.
On the field, his technical issues were exposed as well. The high backlift and problems against incoming deliveries, especially during the Australia tour, dented his confidence. The IPL, once his comfort zone, also stopped offering protection. Two underwhelming seasons with DC, where he managed just over 300 runs across 16 innings, eventually led to his release.
Redemption arch loading for Prithvi Shaw?
One can say that Shaw was grabbed by the limelight early in his career. Earlier than most of the players. And that perhaps took a toll on Shaw. He wasn’t even 20 then. Now, at 26, the dasher is slowly looking at his peak years. How Ishan Kishan matched his career peak with his India return, Shaw would love to do the same.
He has confidence with him too, having operated at a decent level at 2025/26 domestic season after he made a switch from Mumbai to Maharashtra. After scoring 183 runs at an SR of 160.53 in SMAT, Shaw delivered a superb Ranji Trophy season. Playing for Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Maharashtra, he accumulated 537 runs at an average of 48.82. His strike rate of 91.64 was one of the best too. The major highlight was his 222 early in the season.
Now, he eyes a comeback. Speaking to reporters ahead of the new season, Shaw said that he wants to make a loud comeback. He is delivering 200% in training and will be doing his best this season.
“If I don’t think about a comeback, then what’s the point? That’s why I am playing. Who doesn’t want to play for India? You have to be there, and I am working towards that,” Shaw said ahead of the season.
“I enjoyed my life in the last year. Went to a couple of destinations to keep my mind fresh. Then I came back. The same routine, practised and worked hard, be it my training or batting. Whatever I used to do, I started doing it 3x more. I think it was a good break for me. I don’t see it as a step back, but it was a needed break, so I get myself back stronger mentally.”
Prithvi Shaw IPL stats
| IPL | Inns | 50s | 4s/6s | HS | Runs | Avg | S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 9 | 2 | 27/10 | 65 | 245 | 27.22 | 153.1 |
| 2019 | 16 | 2 | 45/9 | 99 | 353 | 22.06 | 133.7 |
| 2020 | 13 | 2 | 27/8 | 66 | 228 | 17.54 | 136.5 |
| 2021 | 15 | 4 | 56/18 | 82 | 479 | 31.93 | 159.1 |
| 2022 | 10 | 2 | 37/10 | 61 | 283 | 28.30 | 152.9 |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 | 16/1 | 54 | 106 | 13.25 | 124.7 |
| 2024 | 8 | 1 | 30/5 | 66 | 198 | 24.75 | 163.6 |
| Overall (7) | 79 | 14 | 238/61 | 99 | 1892 | 23.95 | 147.4 |
At DC, Shaw should ideally open with KL Rahul. While the franchise has an option in Pathum Nissanka, bringing in Shaw will get him a chance to redemption. Also, not using an overseas player up top would allow them to play two foreign pacers, something that would make DC a stronger side.
Cricket
Prithvi Shaw redemption arch loading? Delhi Capitals return exactly what powerful star needed at IPL 2026
