Following the Delhi Capitals’ victory over the Gujarat Titans to start their IPL 2026 campaign, Irfan Pathan believes a change to the opening batting lineup is needed. Pathan suggests reintroducing Prithvi Shaw as an opener against the Mumbai Indians.
Shaw Could Return After Previous Release
In the first game of the season, DC opened with KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka, with Shaw on the bench. The choice did not quite work out as both openers struggled. Shaw is returning to the IPL after missing the previous season.
Despite releasing him before the IPL 2025—the year he was unsold at the mega auction—DC expressed renewed faith in him. From 2018 to 2024, Shaw played for the team, scoring 1,892 runs in 79 innings at a strike rate of 147.46, including 14 fifties, with a best score of 99. His average was almost 24.
Pathan’s Preference for Shaw
Pathan has made his preference for Shaw clear. “Play Prithvi Shaw. It is very important to include him. But Delhi might go towards Pathum Nissanka. In my team, either Prithvi Shaw or Abhishek Porel would be there. I would definitely go with Prithvi Shaw,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Shaw performed admirably on the domestic circuit, scoring valuable runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the 50-over competition, he hit with a strike rate above 100 and amassed 193 runs at an average of 32.17 over the course of six innings, including two half-centuries. He scored 183 runs from seven games in the T20 event, with an average of 26.14 and scoring at a strike rate above 160, including two fifties.
Mumbai’s Bowling Attack Presents a Challenge
Pathan evaluated the crucial match, pointing out that KL Rahul will face a formidable Mumbai Indians attack that included Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Hardik Pandya, and Allah Ghazanfar.
“We know how KL Rahul can play, but the question is, what kind of bowling is he up against? You have Boult, you have Hardik, you have Bumrah, you have Allah Ghazanfar. There is real quality in that bowling attack, and Bumrah is always a trump card. So here, I feel Mumbai will have to plan a lot of matchups against KL Rahul, because you won’t find a better batter than him in this entire batting unit,” he added.
Shaw, who has not played for India since 2021, will be eager to make an impact with the Delhi Capitals this season.