Delhi Capitals’ forgotten opener Prithvi Shaw yet to face a ball in IPL 2026

Prithvi Shaw was expected to make an impact in IPL 2026, considering he went unsold last season. But the former India opener has yet to make an appearance for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing edition.

On Tuesday, as DC lost by 47 runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shaw was once again absent from Axar Patel’s bench. Ahead of the season, some pundits had predicted Shaw to emerge as the right fit to partner K L Rahul in the opening department, as he would be hungrier after going unsold in the previous auction.

However, the red-hot form of Sri Lankan star Pathum Nissanka, on the back of an impressive T20 World Cup campaign, worked against Shaw’s chances. Nissanka has yet to get a half-century, but he scored three 40s in a row.

In the build-up to the IPL, Shaw said he was aiming for a national team comeback. The 26-year-old has not been part of the Indian team since 2021, due to fitness and disciplinary issues. He had been among the runs for Maharashtra in the domestic circuit. Delhi's next match is against the Punjab Kings in Delhi on April 25.