Ex-Indian Cricketer Wants Prithvi Shaw to Grab Delhi Capitals Opportunity With Both Hands

Alongside Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan aims for an IPL comeback after being signed by Chennai Super Kings to bolster their middle-order.

Ex-Indian Cricketer Wants Prithvi Shaw to Grab Delhi Capitals Opportunity With Both Hands

Prithvi Shaw has been urged to seize the opportunity at Delhi Capitals, by Aakash Chopra. (via India Today)

In Short
  • Prithvi Shaw has been picked by Delhi Capitals for the 2026 IPL season, marking a significant opportunity for his career revival.
  • Aakash Chopra emphasizes the need for Shaw to seize this chance to re-establish himself after a series of controversies and performance declines.
  • Delhi Capitals aim to break their trophy drought in IPL 2026, bolstering their squad with strategic player acquisitions, including Shaw.

Prithvi Shaw‘s career since becoming India’s youngest Test centurion has been a roller-coaster. A former Indian player has urged the 26-year-old, who has been picked by Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2026 IPL season once again, to capitalize on his chances. 

Prithvi Shaw is orchestrating a hard-fought comeback to cricket. The Mumbai-born opener rose to fame after captaining India to the U-19 World Cup title in 2018, following which he featured in five Tests, six ODIs, and a T20I for the senior side, even earning comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar.

Overall, he scored 528 international runs at an average of over 30, including a hundred and two fifties, before a gradual decline in both form and fitness. 

Controversy began for Shaw in 2019 with an 8-month doping ban, followed by a nightclub brawl in 2023. This period of trouble saw the right-hander dropped from the national team in 2021 and Mumbai’s Ranji squad in late 2024, and he also went unsold at the 2025 IPL Mega Auction.

It was described as a ‘wake-up’ call for the batter, given he had been a mainstay for DC over the past seven seasons in the IPL, having scored a total of 1,892 runs in 79 matches at an average of 23.95.

Shaw, after a period of self-reflection, finally decided to switch to Maharashtra ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. At the 2026 IPL auction, he initially went unsold twice, during the regular and initial accelerated rounds. However, Delhi Capitals were quick to bring him back into the team in the final minutes of the auction, acquiring the 26-year-old’s services at his base price of just INR 75 lakhs. 

Upon his IPL return, Aakash Chopra has urged him to seize the ‘opportunity’, as it could help him re-establish himself at the highest level. Chopra noted that the ‘world’ has forgotten the opener due to his inconsistencies and off-field controversies, but highlighted the immense potential that he still has.

The 48-year-old pointed to the changes that Shaw has brought to his career, such as his domestic comeback. He said on his YouTube channel:

It’s such a massive opportunity for Prithvi Shaw. The world had forgotten him. He worked hard, changed his state, scored runs, and returned here. So, it’s a great opportunity as and when he gets it. He will have to grab it with both hands.

Chopra has consistently argued that Prithvi Shaw remains a ‘wild-card’ for DC in IPL 2026. He further claimed that the Capitals have a genuine chance of winning the trophy, while also showering praise on new acquisition Auqib Nabi Dar. 

Delhi Capitals’ playing XI for IPL 2026; Prithvi Shaw, Karun Nair among forgotten stars eyeing a spot

One of only three teams in the IPL, the Delhi Capitals have never secured the trophy since the tournament’s inception in 2008. The 2020 finalists are now fully focused on finally breaking this two-decade-long jinx, following a strategic set of player acquisitions at the mini-auction. 

Delhi Capitals
Players like Prithvi Shaw and Karun Nair are eyeing an IPL comeback with Delhi Capitals. (via NDTV Sports)

After having retained its core ahead of the 2026 auction, DC signed eight players to strengthen key areas. The team signed South African veteran David Miller for his base price of INR 2 crores, along with Ben Duckett, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Prithvi Shaw, and Kyle Jamieson.

Coming to their predicted playing XI, KL Rahul might open the innings with Nissanka. At no. 3, they have a host of options, including Abhishek Porel, Nitish Rana and Karun Nair. Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam complete the batting order. In bowling, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Auqib Dar, and one between Mukesh Kumar and T. Natarajan, are expected to be picked.

DC have the option of opening with Prithvi Shaw, which would also create space for the in-form South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. However, the franchise faces a major setback with the resignation of the legendary England batsman, Kevin Pietersen, from his role as mentor.

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