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Prithvi Shaw was India's U19 World Cup-winning captain in 2016 and seemed destined for bigger and better things at that stage of his nascent career. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out for him in that manner so far.
The Mumbai batter is yet to establish himself as one of the major contenders for the national side in any format. More so, his form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has been a cause of concern for a Delhi Capitals (DC) side that has got off to a lethargic start in the tournament.
So, the team might have to start making some significant decisions if they are to get out of this rut, especially with their top order struggling to find their best form. Shaw has been featuring in the tournament as a specialist batter, usually making way for an impact substitute or vice versa. The team could do with other options in that regard rather than taking the same route.
On that note, we look at three reasons why the Delhi Capitals must drop Prithvi Shaw for their IPL 2023 clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday.
#1 Shaw looks woefully out of form
Coming into the tournament, the Mumbai batter seemed to be in fine form during the domestic circuit. However, he has returned with his string of low scores of 12, 7, 0, 15, 0, and 13 in the season so far.
With only 47 runs scored at an average of 7.83 and a strike rate of 117.50 in six matches in IPL 2023 so far, Shaw has been struggling to impose himself on the bowlers like he usually does. His form is a genuine worry for the side with the lack of consistency also being an issue.
#2 A break might do him some good
The demands of modern-day cricket have been near impossible to keep up with for a few players at times. In a step in the right direction, we've seen enough players step aside from the game and put their mental health as a priority before coming back stronger.
The likes of Ben Stokes, Meg Lanning, and Jason Roy did so not too long ago and returned successfully to their national sides. This is not to suggest that Shaw needs to take an indefinite break from the game, but a little time away from it and some more time in the nets might help him find more clarity and his old self again.
#3 Delhi Capitals have other options
It's no hidden secret that the Delhi Capitals have struggled so far this season. The team has a lone win to their name so far and are yet to field their best settled playing XI this season, which would be a worry for most sides after six games.
David Warner has been scoring runs but he hasn't been at his best either, which hasn't done Shaw any favors. The team has enough options to work with in Philip Salt, Mitchell Marsh, Manish Pandey and even Priyam Garg if they want to rejig their batting order. DC might want to make some cut-throat calls if they want to keep their campaign alive.
