There was a time not too long ago when Prithvi Shaw looked like a certainty for India’s future. He burst onto the scene as a teenager, captained the Under-19 World Cup-winning side in 2018, and made his Test debut shortly after with a hundred on the very first day. But cricket, as it often does, had other plans. A string of injuries, inconsistency, fitness concerns, and a long stretch away from the national side slowly pushed him to the margins. His last appearance for India came back in July 2021, and since then, the wait has only grown longer.
Now, with IPL 2026 just around the corner, Shaw is using every opportunity to make a statement. Signed by Delhi Capitals for ₹75 lakh in the accelerated phase of the auction after going unsold initially he is not taking this second chance lightly. If anything, it seems to have lit a fire under him.
Prithvi Shaw opens up on the 200% mindset
Shaw has been open about the shift in his preparation and the effort he is putting in to make a comeback to the Indian team and achieve that goal. He admitted he is working “three times harder” and feels he is giving more than his full capacity, while also acknowledging the ups and downs in his career with maturity. Shaw emphasized that he has learned from past mistakes and believes consistent hard work, discipline, and staying positive are the only ways to make a strong comeback.
“I think that’s why I’m playing. There’s no doubt that I have to come back to the Indian team. That’s why I’m working very hard. The amount of hard work I used to put in, I put in three times more today”, Shaw said during an interaction with PTI.
“Actually, I don’t like to talk about it, but I feel that I’m giving not 100%, but 200% to come back to the Indian team, to win this trophy or to give 100% on a match day or on a practice day as well.”
“Whatever ups and downs happened in the last few years, I took it all with a lot of respect and a smile. And obviously, it stays in my mind when I’ll be back. But there’s only one way to do it work hard and give your 100%. If you’ve made some mistakes, learn from them,” he added.
His domestic numbers in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025–26 also support this, as he recorded a strike rate of over 160 in the tournament.
Where does he fit at Delhi Capitals?
Even with all this motivation, Shaw’s path at Delhi Capitals is not without its complications. Captain Axar Patel has indicated that KL Rahul is likely to open for the side, which leaves Shaw’s exact role a little unclear. There are overseas options being considered too, and with Ben Duckett having pulled out, the team’s top-order puzzle has a few moving pieces.
But Shaw has taken a mature view of the situation.
“I haven’t thought about it actually. If KL (Rahul) is opening and with whosoever is opening with him should have a great season. I won’t say that I should open. Whoever opens, should win us the match. Obviously, there is competition. Cricket is such a thing that whether you play Ranji Trophy, IPL, India, or India A, there will be competition. Today, there are 10 openers as you can see. So there will be competition,” Shaw said.
Delhi Capitals are set to begin their IPL 2026 campaign on April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants, and whether Shaw is in the playing XI from the first game or not, what is clear is that he is showing up as a genuinely transformed cricketer, one who has gone through the fire and come out more determined than before.
The IPL has always been a stage where careers are resurrected and reputations rebuilt. For Shaw, this season is exactly that a chance to remind everyone, including the Indian selectors, what they have been missing.
