MATCH STORIES
Follow UsHarshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan, Prince Choudhary
Punjab Kings had bought quite a few players at the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction, but none caused as much confusion as Shashank Singh. When Punjab bought the Chattisgarh all-rounder for INR 20 lakhs, it was chaotic as hell.
The reason was quite simple: two Shashank Singhs were at the auction. Just three minutes after the first Shashank, a rookie from Bengal, went unsold at the auction, Punjab had raised their paddle for the 32-year-old hard-hitting batter.
Except that they thought they had got the wrong Shashank. They even wanted the Auctioneer, Mallika Sagar, to take the player back. It resulted in a break at the auction, leading to much confusion, with even the internet increasing the confusion.
It was so widespread that the franchise had to post a clarification on various social media platforms later in the day.
Minutes later, Shashank replied, "It's All Cool ... Thank you for Trusting on me!!!!"
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Shashank Singh made his IPL debut back in 2022 where he plied his trade for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. In that season, the right-hander could only amass 69 runs from five innings, averaging 17.25, with a strike rate of 146.81.
By then, the 32-year-old was already known at the domestic level, representing Chattisgarh, for whom he scored 754 runs, striking at 137.34. But there were no takers for the all-rounder in the subsequent IPL season.
So, keeping all of this in mind, when Punjab wanted Mallika to take back Shashank, it would have been quite a dagger to his heart. All that toil at domestic cricket would have come to waste if he hadn’t had an opportunity to return at the IPL level.
But then Punjab backed him, and that backing came fruitful when they needed it the most. Unlike previous years, the 32-year-old earned himself a promotion, batting at No.5 in a mammoth run chase of 200 against a bowling attack that comprises Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad and Umesh Yadav.
At 70/4, with 130 needed off just 68 deliveries, it required the 32-year-old to be a hero. A domestic veteran who has seen the highs and the lows couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to prove his worth.
Anyone could have overthought in such a situation, but the Chattisgarh all-rounder was quite calm and, in fact, later revealed that he had already ‘visualised’ such an outcome.
"Still trying to sink in. Visualised all these things, but when it turned into reality, proud of the effort. Coach told me to react to the ball,” Shashank revealed in the post-match presentation.
It was a good wicket. In situations like this, you have to trust yourself, and that’s exactly what the all-rounder did. He backed his cricketing skills to come good. When he was on 1 (2), it seemed like his night had ended abruptly, but the ball turning an extra inch saved him.
Nothing since then was lucky; it was all pure skills.
Be it his stomping six against Noor Ahmad or him smacking the veteran Umesh Yadav like a club bowler, scoring 14 off three balls. It was an execution of the highest order. He didn’t spare Mohit either, with a ramp over the third-man region, putting loads of pressure on the in-form Mohit.
It didn’t end there. Against a bonafide T20 legend, Rashid Khan, Shashank gobbled him like a hungry employee does when he sees free snacks. With Jitesh Sharma and Ashutosh Sharma doing the magic at the other end, Shashank didn’t have to take a whole lot of risk, getting to his maiden IPL half-century in just 25 deliveries.
He raised his bat most assertively, indicating to the dressing room that he was there and he would get the job done.
An over later, he acted up on that, pulling Mohit yet again for a domineering six, punishing Gujarat’s main bowler. Slowly yet steadily, Shashank ensured that the game was in Punjab’s kitty with a knock of the highest order.
At around 11.30 PM, the cameras panned towards Shashank, who was briefly stopped by a shadow. A few seconds later, the cameras had panned to reveal that Punjab’s management were the ones who stopped Shashank, with them all singing his praise in union.
“The way Shashank came in and hit those sixes, it was brilliant, the way he hit the ball, it looked effortless. He started from No. 7 and is now showing his positive mindset. He is playing in the IPL after a long time and he played so well,” all Dhawan could do in the post-match presentation was be in awe of the all-rounder.
On a night where most of the Punjab stalwarts and international stars struggled, one domestic star shone the brightest, and all Shashank had to say in the post-match presentation was, “I react to the ball and play my shots accordingly.”
Back in 1994, Shawshank Redemption might have been the greatest story ever told. 30 years later, Shashank Redemption might be the greatest IPL story ever told. A story that will go down as the greatest urban legend the tournament has ever seen.
