Life was a wonderland for Shashank Singh during IPL 2024. Picked by mistake by the Punjab Kings in last year’s auction, the 32-year-old was ecstatic to leave his mark. Having gotten his first stint in the league in 2022, Shashank failed to impress and couldn’t get a place next year. The disappointment washed away when he got picked for Rs 20 lakh. Punjab may have bought the ‘wrong’ Shashank, but for him, it was all going right.
How Shashank Singh turned things right
He soon proved why picking him wasn’t a blunder but a masterstroke. Toiling hard in the domestic circuit from 2015, Shashank was ready to show the world his true potential. His first-class record wasn’t that great but white-ball cricket, especially T20s is where he excelled the most.
Given a chance, he proved his worth right away. He started with 8-ball 21 cameo in his second game, upped that effort with a match winning 61(28) against the Gujarat Titans and then never looked back. Punjab Kings may have not made the playoffs, but Shashank Singh stood out and ended up the highest run-scorer for them.
Ready to compete with the best
On the back of his superb display, many including Shashank hopes to get a chance to don the Indian jersey. Everything was going right, but when he heard that he wasn’t selected for the India vs Zimbabwe series his heart sank in. Well, that’s what everyone would think so, instead, Shashank say he wasn’t disappointed one bit. Why? Well he told us in a exclusive conversation.
“Not at all disappointed. I’ve stopped expecting things from myself or anyone else. But it helped me know how much harder I have to work in the future to get there. My bowling, fielding, and fitness are a few things I have to work on. I get a reality check as well when these squads get announced—that I have to work so much if I have to compete with the best. When you see the squad, all the players deserve their place thoroughly. Players like Nitish (Reddy) and Riyan (Parag) have done exceedingly well in the domestic circuit and the IPL. I know that I’m somewhere near, but it’ll take some time for me to get noticed. In a good way, I’ll work even harder and make sure that I get recognized more during the selection meeting” said to InsideSport.
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