Prithvi Shaw, Delhi Capitals’ opening batsman, has had a woeful start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. He has only scored 40 runs in six innings with his lowest-ever average and strike rate in the tournament.
His scores of 13, 12, 7, 0, 15, and 0 have been disappointing, and his weaknesses against raw pace and moving balls have been exposed once again. He hasn’t even survived till the end of the powerplay in any of his six attempts, hitting only eight boundaries in 40 deliveries.
Although batting long wasn’t his strength in this format, he hasn’t provided a single brisk start to the Delhi Capitals in this edition. His strike rate of 117 is the lowest in his IPL career.
DC lost their first five matches but managed to win against Kolkata Knight Riders after nearly missing the 128-run target at the Kotla. While Shaw is not the sole reason for their poor performance, he has a significant responsibility for being one of their top players.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticized Shaw’s performance, saying that he cannot play only on reputation and needs to find a way to score runs. Vaughan also pointed out Shaw’s struggle against Mark Wood in one of the earlier matches where he was nowhere near the line of the ball.
What makes Shaw’s poor performance even more striking is that he had great form leading up to the IPL 2023. His attacking display in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s and the bulk of runs in the Ranji Trophy paved the way for his return to the Indian side.
DC management hopes that Shaw will turn the tables in the second half of the league. Although his performance isn’t the only reason for their struggles, his lack of contribution at the top of the order is a significant factor. It’s time for him to step up and produce runs for his team.
