Former cricketer Irfan Pathan wants top order batsman Prithvi Shaw If the player is selected by a team in the IPL 2026 auction, then supporting his talent for consistent performance. Shaw has been selected among 350 players whose auction will be held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 16 December. For context, Shaw remained unsold in IPL 2025 with no buyer found, but Irfan believes 2026 will be different.
When asked to name any player who would be a big surprise if he is not sold, Irfan did not hesitate in naming the opening batsman who is playing outside India. The cricketer turned commentator described the talent present in Shaw and called him a 'high quality player'.
“I think about Prithvi Shaw. A player like Prithvi Shaw – I think the kind of talent he has should be justified through performances. Whenever I see him, I think, 'This is a top quality player, and he should really perform consistently,'” Irfan said via Star Sports.
Talking about Shaw's cricket activity recently, he was the captain of the Maharashtra team for the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. The team failed to qualify for the knockout stage, but Shaw impressed with a few half-centuries. The 26-year-old batsman scored 183 runs in the entire tournament at an impressive strike rate of 160.52. Shaw has also scored 470 runs in seven innings in the current Ranji season.
Talking about his IPL career, Shaw has performed for only one franchise (Delhi Capitals) so far. He remained unsold in the mega auction ahead of IPL 2025. Shaw's best season came in 2021, scoring 479 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 159.13.
Shaw has been listed in the early list of capped batsmen along with a few other cricketers. His base price has been fixed at Rs 75 lakh. Franchises in need of an aggressive opening batsman will be expected to go after Shaw during the auction. With the auction approaching, the Mumbai-born player will be hoping to make a comeback in the money-rich tournament after being out of the limelight.
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