Delhi Capitals' batter Prithvi Shaw plays a shot during the IPL 2024 match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, in Visakhapatnam, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (PTI Photo)Prithvi Shaw spent the first two matches of Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2024 season out of the playing XI, but was finally recalled into the team for the game against the Chennai Super Kings at the ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
And he made his chance count, scoring a 27-ball 43, a knock which was studded with four boundaries and two sixes.
Prithvi was among the four players who were retained by Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. But he was dropped by the franchise mid-way into IPL 2023. Coming into Sunday’s game, Prithvi had one half-century in his last 14 IPL innings. In fact, he was not even part of the match squads for their first two games.
That hurt of being dropped for the first two games would have fueled his innings on Sunday, reckoned Virender Sehwag.
“Team managements will always look at whether a player is in rhythm or not in the nets when they’re batting. This innings will remind Prithvi how important an innings like this was for him. Last IPL also he was sitting out for some games, and this IPL too he was benched for the first two games. Maybe he was hurting from within. That’s where this innings probably came from,” said Sehwag on Cricbuzz.
Former Australian cricketer Shane Watson also spoke about how the innings was critical for Prithvi and Delhi.
“For the Delhi Capitals one of the biggest issues in the last couple of years has been the opening partnership. Their average has been among the lowest in the IPL. A big part of that has not been David Warner. Warner has scored plenty of runs. It’s usually been his partner. And for a lot of games that’s been Prithvi Shaw. Tonight, he played really well. That 6th over against Mustafizur Rahman was exceptional batting. Delhi are relying on Prithvi Shaw. Unfortunately, he hasn’t produced the goods for them in the last couple of years. But this is an incredible sign. Let’s hope that hunger is there and stays throughout this IPL,” said Watson in the mid-innings break.
Before the game, Watson had said: “Ricky Ponting’s been saying that Prithvi Shaw has been looking good in the nets, he always does. I’ve been with the Delhi Capitals for the past two seasons and he’s always looked good, given his immense skill. For me, it’s not that. It comes down to his attitude. If he has the fire burning inside him strongly. If he does, he can be one of the best batters in the world because of his skill.”
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