Shashank Singh leaves Chhattisgarh to join Pondicherry: Details here
What's the story
Shashank Singh, the vice-captain of Punjab Kings and a leading IPL player, has announced his decision to leave Chhattisgarh for Pondicherry in the upcoming 2026-27 season. He has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS). The move comes after Shashank's struggle with serious shoulder and finger injuries last season, which he claims were not supported by CSCS.
Allegations
Lack of support from CSCS during his injury struggles
Shashank has alleged that despite his serious injuries last season, the CSCS did not provide any support.
He was also left out of both the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League and the team that went to Bengaluru for a pre-season camp.
"I was told that I only want to play in the IPL, and not for Chhattisgarh in domestic cricket," he said.
Notably, Shashank has been a vital part of the PBKS set-up since the 2024 season.
Career trajectory
Focus on becoming a proper white-ball all-rounder
Despite the setbacks, Shashank was named India's best all-rounder in the white-ball format by BCCI last year.
He was also the recipient of the prestigious Lala Amarnath Award for Best All-Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions for 2023-24 season.
Now, he is focusing on becoming a proper white-ball all-rounder this season.
"My body is still fresh," he said, adding that he is keen to bowl his full quota of four overs in T20 cricket for both Pondicherry and Punjab Kings in IPL.
Performance review
Shashank's performance in IPL and recent controversies
Shashank had a stellar run in the IPL 2025 season, scoring 350 runs at a strike rate of 153.51.
However, his performance in IPL 2026 was not up to the mark as he managed only 132 runs in nine innings at 22.
He was also recently embroiled in a controversy where an FIR was filed against him and his father for allegedly assaulting their cook Vipendra Singh.
However, Shashank has denied these allegations saying he has been cleared of all charges.
Stats
Here are his numbers
In First-Class cricket, Shashank has tallied 905 runs at 29.19, besides claiming 16 wickets at 47.87. In List A cricket, he owns 1,054 runs at 40.53 and 37 wickets at 29.86. 1,786 of his runs have come in T20 cricket at 25.55. This includes 25 wickets at 29.24.