Top-order batter Prithvi Shaw celebrates his 25th birthday on November 9. Shaw has been in the headlines over the last few months due to inconsistent form, fitness issues and getting released from Delhi Capitals.
The right-hander was recently dropped from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2024/25 squad due to being overweight. Shaw was told to work on his fitness to be considered for future games. However, he has found himself among the Mumbai probables for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Prithvi Shaw garnered 343 runs in eight appearances at an average of around 43 for Northamptonshire in the Royal London One Day Cup 2024/25. He then returned with knocks of 76 and 4 for Mumbai in the Irani Cup against the Rest of India, as the side went on to clinch the title. In two Ranji Trophy appearances, Shaw scored 59 runs at an average of 19.33.
The last Indian Premier League (IPL) season saw him score 198 runs in eight innings at an average of 24.75 and a strike rate of 163.63. Nevertheless, the team management decided to release him, after having retained him in 2022.
As the IPL 2025 auction draws near, there are doubts about whether Shaw can find any takers in the event. On that note, let's take a look at the three teams that should target the opener for the upcoming season.
#1 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
The Kolkata-based franchise went on to lift the IPL 2024, on the back of powerful performances from their players. The side was flooded with explosive stars and the franchise had all their bases covered.
Due to this reason, they retained their six players - Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh.
Although the team packs a solid punch in terms of their middle-order strength, they lack an attacking top-order batter. Previously, Phil Salt and Rahmanullah Gurbaz partnered with Narine and provided great starts to the team.
With both right-handers released, Prithvi Shaw could fill the spot perfectly due to his attacking mindset, which has been the mantra of the KKR side. Moreover, the Eden Gardens pitch has pace and bounce on offer in the initial overs and Shaw has been known to utilize it in his favor so far in his career.
#2 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
The Lucknow Super Giants failed to seal a playoff spot due to an inferior net run rate than the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It was the first instance in three seasons that they failed to get past the league stage. As a result, the franchise released their skipper KL Rahul and many other notable players.
Instead, they chose to retain five players - Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni. As per retentions, the team needs a few top-order as well as middle-order batters to find the missing pieces of their puzzle.
In the absence of top-order batters like Rahul, Quinton de Kock and Kyle Mayers, the team management should think of acquiring Prithvi Shaw. With an explosive batter like Shaw, LSG will have a cushion to go with a batter who can stay until the end and help the team post/chase a strong total.
#3 Mumbai Indians (MI)
The five-time champions have been inconsistent with their performances since the title-winning campaign in 2020. They have managed to enter the playoffs on only one occasion while emerging as the wooden spooners in the 2024 edition.
Nevertheless, the team management decided to retain their core players - Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma.
Although the middle-order looks nearly sorted, they will need a couple of opening batters for the 2025 season. In this aspect, Prithvi Shaw could pair up well with Mumbai state teammate Rohit.
Moreover, Shaw understands the Wankhede surface better than most of the opening contenders due to him playing at the venue since his age-group cricket. In 10 IPL appearances at the Wankhede, he has garnered 261 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 147.46, with a top score of 72.
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