It was a bit of a shocker that Prithvi Shaw didn’t find any bidders at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last year. Amid diminishing returns and controversy surrounding his work ethic, the opener went unsold.
Just a year prior, Prithvi was paid INR 7.50 crore by Delhi Capitals (DC). And then, the IPL franchises weren’t even willing to pick him up at INR 75 lakh. That shock woke Prithvi up. He shed weight, moved states and started racking up runs again.
Prithvi Shaw returns to IPL at Ashwin’s mock auction
That’s why, at Ravichandran Ashwin’s mock auction, Prithvi started a bidding frenzy. Although the official IPL 2026 auction will take place on December 16, Ashwin has decided to organise an event of his own. Whatever happened there may not happen in Abu Dhabi, but this Prithvi prediction might come true.
As a capped Indian, the 26-year-old batter has listed himself at INR 75 lakh. That’s where the bidding started in Ashwin’s mock auction as well. Bengaluru was the first to show interest, and Delhi joined in. The two fought until the mark reached INR 2 crore, and then Bengaluru pulled the plug.
Lucknow replaced them as Delhi continued to bid. At INR 4 crore, Delhi also quit. Kolkata quickly chimed in. Lucknow wanted Prithvi but didn’t want to bid much longer. In the end, they pulled out after an INR 5 crore bid, and Kolkata got the opener for INR 5.25 crore.
It’ll be interesting to see whether these franchises bid for Prithvi on December 16. Given he’s in the marquee set, you’d assume the IPL franchise will show interest in him at the official IPL 2026 auction, but we’ll have to wait and watch.
Prithvi Shaw at IPL auction over the years
| Year | Price (INR) | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | – |
| 2024 | 7.50 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2023 | 7.50 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2022 | 7.50 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2021 | 1.20 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2020 | 1.20 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2019 | 1.20 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2018 | 1.20 crore | Delhi Capitals |
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