IPL 2022 | Prithvi Shaw unlikely to feature in DC's last two group encounters

Delhi Capitals' opener Prithvi Shaw is set to be unavailable for the remaining two league-stage fixtures of the ongoing season.

Capitals' assistant coach Shane Watson on Thursday confirmed the development during an exclusive interview with The Grade Cricketer.

Shaw last featured in the current season on May 01 during DC's fixture against the Lucknow Super Giants before getting diagnosed with fever. He was eventually admitted to the hospital and has missed two games since then.

Watson didn't reveal the exact nature of Shaw's illness, but he did say that the young opener has been gripped by fever for a couple of weeks, and it might take an extended period before he returns to the field.

"I don't know his diagnosis exactly, but he has just had this underlying fever for the previous couple of weeks, which they've had to really get to the bottom of it to find out exactly what it was. It's not looking great for him to be available for the last couple of games, which is a big shame because he is an incredibly skilful young batter taking the best bowlers in the world down a lot of the time," Watson said.

Shaw has been the most impactful batter in the powerplay this season, and in his absence, Delhi have tried Mandeep Singh and Srikar Bharat but with little success.

"It's a big loss for us not to have him. For the last couple of weeks, he has been under the weather. Hopefully, he gets back to full health soon, but unfortunately, it's not going to be in time for the minimum of the last two games that we've got," Watson added.

Skipper Rishabh Pant was asked about Shaw's recovery status after the last fixture against RR, but one didn't get a concrete answer.

"We miss him, but at the same time, that is something we cannot control," Pant said. "He got typhoid or something like that because the doctor told me that. Hopefully, he will be back [but] we don't know yet. If he is back, it will be a good addition for us," DC skipper added.

Meanwhile, Delhi pushed their tally to 12 points following a comprehensive win over Rajasthan. Their net run-rate is relatively healthy, making them a genuine contender of a top-4 finish.