"If you are not in form, you can't keep your place" - DC assistant coach Pravin Amre on Prithvi Shaw's exclusion in recent games of IPL 2024

Delhi Capitals (DC) assistant coach Pravin Amre has bluntly stated that opening batter Prithvi Shaw's exclusion from the playing XI in the last few games was due to his lack of form and Abhishek Porel's impressive run at the top of the order. Shaw played only eight of DC's 14 games this season and was dropped for their final three outings since the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash on April 29.

The 24-year-old finished the season with 198 runs at an average of 24.75 and a strike rate of 163.63. However, Shaw failed to register a single half-century in his last five innings before being dropped.

At the post-match press conference after DC's 19-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their final league-stage game, Amre felt Porel's incredible run justified Shaw's omission.

"He [Shaw] was our retained player, and as you see, last four [of five] games he was also on the bench. But that's the IPL. If you are not in form, you can't [keep your place]. Ultimately, the pressure for the team is so much that every game is important and we have to win. And we had done that. Without playing him, we won the games. And whoever got the opportunity... I think Abishek grabbed the opportunities with both hands," said Amre.

Porel played in all 14 of DC's games and scored 327 runs at an average of 32.70 and a strike rate of almost 160.

The 21-year-old also found tremendous success opening the batting, with 159 runs at a strike rate of over 165, including two half-centuries in three innings.

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"What an innings Porel played today" - Pravin Amre

Pravin Amre lauded Abhishek Porel for his sensational knock of 58 from 33 deliveries against LSG in DC's final league-stage encounter on Tuesday, May 14.

Despite losing the in-form Jake Fraser-McGurk in the opening over, Porel took the attack to the opposition to reach a half-century off only 21 balls.

"What an innings [Porel] played today. We saw Jake [Fraser-McGurk] getting out in the first over and even then we managed to get 73 runs in the powerplay. I think that's what was so critical and the credit goes to Shai Hope and Porel for getting that 92-run partnership today," said Amre in the post-match press conference.

The youngster's outstanding batting display helped DC post a massive 208/4 in 20 overs and complete a 19-run win.

However, with only 14 points in as many games, DC will require miraculous results in the remaining games of the other teams to qualify for the playoffs.