Shaw supported the comebackPathan, however, had special praise for Shaw, who returned to the franchise after going unsold in the previous auction cycle. He said, “They bought him at a very good price. I think hungry players who were not sold last year always come with something to prove. Prithvi Shaw will come with a point to prove.”The former opener’s recent domestic form lends credence to Pathan’s argument. After switching to Maharashtra, Shaw performed brilliantly and finished as their highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.‘Pressure leads to failure’While supporting Shaw’s return, Pathan also issued a warning. “The hungry players who have been eliminated are very excited, but at the same time, they also put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform. This pressure always leads you to failure,” he warned.He also acknowledged other options in the team, including Abhishek Porel, but stressed on clarity in roles. He said, “They have the option of Abhishek Porel. But I think they should go with Prithvi Shaw and give him clarity about his role.”Rahul is ready for another big seasonMeanwhile, Rahul is entering IPL 2026 on strong form after a stellar previous campaign, where he scored 539 runs at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate close to 150. With over 5,200 IPL runs already, he now has his sights set on the milestone of 6,000 runs – which has been achieved by only a few great players including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.With DC set to begin their campaign against the Lucknow Super Giants, all eyes will be on whether the Pathan-backed opening pair take shape – and whether Shaw can really deliver on his “provable point”.