Prithvi Shaw seeks blessings at Babulnath temple with Akriti Agarwal after being picked at IPL 2026 auction [Picture]

Out-of-favor Indian opener Prithvi Shaw recently visited the Shree Babulnath temple in Mumbai with popular influencer Akriti Agarwal. The 26-year-old sought the blessings of Lord Shiva at the iconic temple following the recently concluded IPL 2026 auction.

Shaw initially went unsold at the auction. He didn't attract any bidders in the accelerated round either. However, his name returned in the third round towards the closing stages, where he was signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) for his base price of ₹75 lakh.

The dynamic batter is set to return to the league after being unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. He celebrated the signing by praying at the Shree Babulnath temple and the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati temple.

Shaw shared a couple of pictures from his visits to the temples on his Instagram stories.

Screenshots of Prithvi Shaw's Instagram stories. (Instagram/prithvishaw).

Prithvi Shaw shares a close association with DC. He made his IPL debut with the franchise in 2018. He remained with the side until the 2024 edition, before being released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

The talented player will look to make the most of his second stint with the Delhi-based team. He had a decent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 campaign for Maharashtra, finishing with 183 runs across seven innings at a strike rate of 160.52.

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"Every player goes through ups and downs" - DC owner on bidding for Prithvi Shaw at IPL 2026 auction

DC co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi opened up on signing Prithvi Shaw after the IPL 2026 auction. He noted that the batter had previously done well for the franchise.

He remarked that ups and downs are part of every player's journey and Shaw now has the opportunity to redeem himself. Grandhi said (via India Today):

"Prithvi has done well for Delhi Capitals in the past. Every player goes through ups and downs, and this is an opportunity for him to make a strong comeback. We see this as a second chance for Prithvi, and I’m really looking forward to seeing him return to Delhi, take this opportunity seriously and give his best for the team.":

Shaw has amassed 1,892 runs from 79 innings with a strike rate of 147.46 in the IPL. He has 14 fifties to his name in the competition.