After being the butt of all jokes for being an ‘accidental pick’ at the IPL 2024 auction by Punjab Kings, Chhattisgarh’s Shashank Singh proved that there is nothing accidental about his cricket skills with a match-winning knock for PBKS against Gujarat Titans earlier this week. The all-rounder turned hero for the men in red in a precarious situation chasing 200 in Ahmedabad. Batting at no. 6, Shashank inspired Punjab to a 3-wicket with an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls, which included four sixes and six fours.
He walked away with the Player of the Match Award and said, “I feel ‘I’m the best in the world’ when I got to bat. I don’t see the bowler but the ball and just react to it.”
Feeling like the ‘best in the world’ is one thing, but to be that, that too in a pressure situation, takes a lot of self-belief. And the 32-year-old had his state coach, Hitesh Goswami, to thank. Goswami made an under-confident Shashank believe that he is the ‘Baap’ of the game.
In an exclusive chat with News18 CricketNext, Goswami recalled his first impression of Shashank after joining the Chhattisgarh state team as the head coach.
“Shashank has always been a good player. But I wanted to make him express himself which he wasn’t doing well when I joined. So, that’s the thing I worked on. Even if he gets out, it’s okay. I wanted him to trust himself and his ability to hit any bowler,” Goswami said.
“See, there are three types of people. One, whom I’ll scold and they will understand. Second are those I’ll talk to nicely, and third type, they just need a pat on the back as if they are the only ones who can do the job. Shashank is the third type.
“So I just wanted to make him realize that he’s the most important player in white ball for me in Chhattisgarh. It doesn’t matter how many good performers there are in the team, but you are the main player for me. And he proved it in the one-dayers. So, he needed somebody to tell him Tu Hi Baap Hai” he added.
Shashank was Chhattisgarh’s most prolific run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season, amassing 450 runs in six innings, including two 150-plus scores. Out of the two, the most important one came against Vidarbha in Jaipur – 154 off 111 balls with 11 sixes and as many boundaries. Though that knock couldn’t take Chhattisgarh beyond the finish line, it was a statement that there is no dearth of talent in the heartland of the country.
‘Hiccup in his pick-up’
Shashank’s signing at the players’ auction was full of drama. It appeared as if the Punjab Kings management had bought the wrong Shashank Singh and by the time they realised the blunder, the bid had already been completed. Though the franchise later released an official statement that there wasn’t any mistake, fans were not convinced. But the truth is, PBKS were always after the right Shashank.
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Goswami, who’s also a scout for the PBKS, had conveyed to the management about Shashank’s prowess and after the all-rounder’s blistering knock in Ahmedabad, even Goswami got a pat on his back from the top brass of Punjab.
“There was a little bit of a hiccup with Shashank’s signing. I pushed the management and said he’s a very good player. Don’t miss him out. And he’ll give you results. Now, I got a message from the management thanking me for such a great pick. There’s so much confidence in him right from match one. He can do wonders in the next couple of years,” he added.
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The Mumbai Impact
Shashank has been quite a journeyman. Born in Bhilai, (then in MP), he moved to Mumbai with cricket aspirations in mind. But the survival in the city of dreams was toll taking. He made his white-ball debut for Mumbai in 2015, but with tough competition for places in the Mumbai setup, he soon found himself being left behind. Giving up was never an option and he made up his mind to return home via Puducherry. In 2019, he made his First-class debut for Chhattisgarh and now, he has become a vital player for his state side.
The 32-year-old has a calm demeanour that reflects on and off the field. Goswami believes that the hustle he went through in Mumbai has made him what he is today – calm, composed, with a clear head.
“He has played all his junior cricket in Mumbai where there is only one way ahead; you have to perform no matter which league or division you are playing. You have to prove that you’re good.
“The same has been with Shashank. And when you have clarity in mind, you can score runs every day. So I think that is the background he brings into his game,” Goswami added.
‘Big Credit to Hitesh Sir’
The knock against Gujarat Titans has taken Shashank to a long-due glory. After seven years of hopping from one IPL franchise to the other (4 in total) the boy from Chhattisgarh finally got his moment under the sun. But, he didn’t forget to give credit to his coach.
Replying to a CricketNext query in a select media round table, Shashank thanked Goswami for his valuable support throughout.
“I had a really good white-ball season for Chhattisgarh. Major credit goes to Hitesh Goswami, sir. Because of the way he backed me, the way he worked on my technique, and a few mental things. So, all thanks to him.
“And by God’s grace, I’m batting well this year. And I hope to continue this performance for long,” Shashank said.
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