Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly shared the reason behind their decision to not open with Prithvi Shaw and pick their Australian duo as their opening combination in the early stages of IPL 2024 as well. However, Mitchell Marsh joined David Warner at the top of the order in their first match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur as well. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh scored 39 runs in just 19 balls. Marsh hit 2 sixes and 2 boundaries for his 12-ball 20 while Warner hit 2 sixes and 3 boundaries for his 21-ball 29 as well.

“Prithvi Shaw is an opener. We decided to open with Marsh and Warner and Ricky Bhui is a middle-order batter. So they bat at different positions. So it’s actually not Bhui for sure. It’s a different opening combination, they opened for Australia and they have done well together. So we decided to do that,” Sourav Ganguly told the press on the eve of Delhi Capitals’ second match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.

However, Sourav Ganguly also added that the Delhi Capitals’ coaching staff did not get a lot of time to work with Prithvi Shaw in the off-season because of his injury layoff as well as his duties with Mumbai in Ranji Trophy 2023-24. Meanwhile, Prithvi Shaw’s promising County Championship stint was cut short due to an injury as well. Shaw also returned to action only in February and played the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, who won the tournament.

“To be honest, we did not get much of Prithvi Shaw in the camp. Unfortunately, he was injured for a long time. After he went to England for the county stint in Northamptonshire where he played exceptionally well and tore his ligament in the knee, we couldn’t get him till February. After he came back to fitness, he played Ranji Trophy,” Sourav Ganguly concluded.