Punjab Kings all-rounder Shashank Singh has said that the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) failed to support him during one of the most difficult phases of his career, claiming the state association sidelined him while he was recovering from injury.
The 34-year-old stated that he was not given a clear reason for being left out of the player list for the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League (CCPL) 2026 or the squad for the pre-season training camp.
Shashank also made it very clear that his commitment to domestic cricket should not be questioned, pointing out that he was honoured with the Lala Amarnath Award for being the best all-rounder in domestic cricket and was not solely focused on the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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“I suffered serious shoulder and finger injuries last season, but the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh didn't support me at all in this phase," he told TOI.
“I was told that I only want to play in the IPL, and not for Chhattisgarh in domestic cricket. The reality is that just last year (in February 2025), I was adjudged as India's best all-rounder in the white-ball circuit by the BCCI, when I was named as the recipient of the prestigious Lala Amarnath Award for the Best All-Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions for the 2023-24 season," he added.
Shashank To Represent Puducherry This Season
Shashank has since secured a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the CSCS and will turn out for Puducherry in the upcoming domestic season. He will be one of two guest players in the squad, alongside Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar.
The all-rounder has also decided to step away from red-ball cricket to concentrate on the white-ball formats. While he has previously spoken about his ambition of representing India, while he also acknowledged that age may not be on his side.
Shashank's List A And T20 Numbers
Shashank has featured in 35 List A matches, scoring 1,054 runs at an average of 40.53 with a strike rate of 109.44. His record in the format includes three centuries and two half-centuries.
In T20 cricket, including domestic competitions and franchise leagues, he has scored 1,763 runs in 93 innings at an average of 25.55 and a strike rate of 146.67. He has registered 11 fifties, with an unbeaten 68 as his highest score.
With the ball, Shashank has claimed 37 wickets in List A cricket, including one five-wicket haul, while adding 25 wickets in T20s.
Difficult IPL 2026 Campaign With Punjab Kings
Shashank endured a challenging IPL 2026 season with Punjab Kings, scoring 132 runs in nine innings at an average of 22. Although he recorded a career-best strike rate of 188.57 for the season, he was unable to consistently deliver in the finisher's role.
His lone half-century came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a losing cause. Injuries also forced him to miss a few matches during the campaign.
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Singh also had a poor season in the field, dropping a few catches despite being among the safest fielders of Punjab Kings. With the ball, he took four wickets at an economy of 8.8.
Shashank had enjoyed far more productive campaigns in the previous two IPL seasons, scoring 350 and 354 runs respectively from 14 innings in each edition. It remains to be seen whether Punjab Kings would want to retain him ahead of the mini-auction or part ways after a disappointing 2026 season.
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