India, May 4 -- When one hears the names Arjun Tendulkar and Prithvi Shaw, the mind drifts back to that iconic image from 2011, when the two youngsters sat at the Wankhede Stadium watching Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun's father, finally realise his dream of lifting the 50-over World Cup. Fifteen years on, Arjun and Shaw find themselves in the same boat. The close friends are enduring similar fortunes in the IPL 2026, yet to feature for their respective franchises despite their teams struggling to secure playoff spots.

Both Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals remain in contention. They could still qualify with wins in their remaining matches, but given how their campaigns have unfolded, the odds appear slim. To make matters worse, both team...