Shashank's confidence had taken a major hit after going unsold in the IPL 2023 auction
Punjab Kings‘ crisis man Shashank Singh had a breakout season in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024). However, Shashank’s climb up the ladder has been a nervy affair for him.
After playing for Delhi Capitals (2017) and Rajasthan Royals (2019-21), Shashank finally made his IPL debut with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022. It wasn’t until his sixth match that he got the opportunity to bat, and in his first innings against Gujarat Titans, he made headlines by hitting three consecutive sixes off Lockie Ferguson in the final over, finishing with an unbeaten 25 from six balls.
Though Shashank didn’t deliver any other significant innings that season, he received encouraging feedback from the team management, including SRH’s batting coach Brian Lara. Despite his optimism for the future, he remained unsold during the IPL 2023 auction.
Soon after, Shashank’s confidence level went down and he revealed feeling ‘very uneasy’ while thinking about the missed opportunity.
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The former West Indies captain Brian Lara was SRH’s batting coach when Shashank was part of the team and the Gorakhpur cricketer credits Lara for giving him the confidence and belief to succeed at the IPL.
Cut to a year later, Shashank emerged as the Kings’ go-to player in times of crisis, guiding them to victories in nearly impossible scenarios. These two contrasting IPL seasons reflect Shashank’s conversion into a fearless cricketer.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Shashank said, “I came into the IPL only because of Brian Lara. He literally changed my mindset, and the technical part as well. He has changed my cricketing things – from being a normal cricketer to a good IPL cricketer. He has had a great impact on my cricketing journey.
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