Arjun Tendulkar and Prithvi Shaw carry more than just cricketing expectations. For many fans, their names evoke the famous 2011 Wankhede Stadium moment when Arjun and Shaw, as youngsters, watched Sachin Tendulkar finally complete his dream of winning the 50-over World Cup. Fifteen years later, the two close friends are again orbiting the same storyline—this time in IPL 2026—where both are stuck waiting for a long-awaited chance with their respective franchises.
In the current campaign, Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals remain in the playoff conversation, but the pair’s on-field opportunities have not matched the situation around them. Despite their teams still having a mathematical route to the top four, Arjun and Shaw have yet to force their way into the playing XI. With both sides struggling to lock down playoff certainty, the timing feels like it should be opening rather than closing.
Quick facts
- Arjun Tendulkar and Prithvi Shaw are close friends and both are yet to play for their franchises in IPL 2026.
- Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals are still in contention for playoffs, but their chances are described as slim.
- LSG are placed 10th and DC are placed 7th in the points table.
- Arjun is 26 years old; Lucknow’s pace group includes Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Mayank Yadav.
- Himmat Singh has struggled for Lucknow: in three IPL 2026 matches he has scored 35 runs, with a best score of 19.
- Prithvi Shaw was signed by Delhi Capitals for INR 75 lakh ahead of IPL 2026.
- Shaw went unsold before IPL 2025 and missed that season.
- Shaw has faced selection obstacles due to Pathum Nissanka, and Delhi briefly tried Sahil Parakh ahead of him versus RCB at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Right now, Lucknow and Delhi sit at opposite ends of the same pressure zone—LSG in tenth and DC in seventh. That placement naturally raises the question of why two players with the profile of Tendulkar and Shaw haven’t been given more chances, especially when both franchises are still searching for the right mix to climb the table. Even if neither is established as a finished product at this stage, it is hard to argue there is a major downside in giving them exposure when the campaign’s trajectory has already been difficult.
There’s also a practical angle. Both teams have reportedly stuck rigidly to their internal plans, with the support system seemingly reluctant to alter the playing XI to include Tendulkar or Shaw regardless of how the results have been shaping up. In a league where momentum matters, waiting too long can turn an experiment into a missed opportunity.
The “if not now, then when” logic becomes even stronger when you consider what each player could realistically add. If either clicks, the franchises could unearth a genuine game-changer at exactly the point of the season where roles and matchups become decisive. And with time still available, Arjun and Shaw remain high-upside options—provided the teams finally decide to take the leap.
Arjun Tendulkar: why the wait may be costing Lucknow
For Lucknow, the argument for keeping Arjun out at the start of the season was straightforward: the squad’s pace department had plenty of competition. Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Mayank Yadav were all presented as strong selections, and their performances helped ensure the 26-year-old spent most of the time watching from the bench.
But the counterpoint is that Arjun is not only a bowler. He is a bowling all-rounder, and Lucknow have already offered repeated chances to Himmat Singh. That makes it reasonable to consider a shift in thinking—benching the Delhi batter in place of Arjun, and using him in the XI with a clear batting role rather than treating his selection purely as a bowling replacement.
Himmat’s numbers underline the case. In three IPL 2026 matches, he has managed just 35 runs, with a top score of 19. If Lucknow is looking for a different finishing option, Arjun is one of the few profiles who could potentially handle the No. 7 slot and provide a more dependable endgame approach. His inclusion would also give Rishabh Pant another left-arm pace option, complementing Mohsin.
In other words, it is not simply about “giving Arjun a chance.” It is about matching a specific team need—late-innings impact and a balanced bowling-batting combination—at a stage when results have been hard to come by.
The Shaw dilemma for Delhi Capitals
Prithvi Shaw’s situation is different, but the waiting game feels equally frustrating. The right-handed batter—an Under-19 World Cup-winning captain—has gone through a downturn over the last few years. He was even unsold ahead of IPL 2025 and missed that tournament, before Delhi Capitals showed renewed faith by bringing him into the squad for INR 75 lakh before IPL 2026.
Even then, it was unlikely that Shaw would immediately walk into the XI at the start of the season, given Pathum Nissanka’s presence. Still, once Nissanka began producing underwhelming returns, the expectation grew that Shaw would be given an opening role alongside KL Rahul.
Delhi’s selection choices, however, surprised observers. In a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi picked Sahil Parakh—an 18-year-old—ahead of Shaw. The experiment lasted just two balls for Parakh, who was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the opening over.
That particular plan was short-lived. Nissanka returned to the XI for the next phase and justified the decision with a half-century against the Rajasthan Royals. Since then, Shaw’s path back into the lineup has appeared almost shut, even though the earlier moment of opportunity arguably came and went.
There have also been questions raised around Shaw’s attitude, even as his talent has never been in doubt. With Delhi still in the playoff mix, the franchise could benefit from injecting a spark—especially from a player with the ceiling Shaw possesses. If Delhi are truly serious about pushing their qualification chances, then giving Shaw a role when it matters most may be the exact kind of bold move their season needs.
