Spurned by Chhattisgarh's ill-treatment, Shashank Singh switches teams
Punjab Kings all-rounder Shashank Singh has decided to leave Chhattisgarh and move to Pondicherry ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season, alleging that the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) failed to support him during an injury-hit campaign and later sidelined him without explanation.
The 34-year-old confirmed that he has obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the state association and will represent Pondicherry in domestic cricket from the upcoming season.
“Yes, I’m quitting Chhattisgarh. I’ve taken the NOC from CSCS and am moving to Pondicherry from the 2026-27 season. I suffered serious shoulder and finger injuries last season, but the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh didn’t support me at all in this phase,” Shashank told The Times of India.
The all-rounder claimed that despite recovering from his injuries, he was left out of the player list for the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League and was also omitted from the squad that travelled to Bengaluru for a pre-season training camp.
“Post the season, they didn’t put my name in the list of players for the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League 2026, and my name was also missing in the Chhattisgarh squad which travelled to Bengaluru for a pre-season camp. I asked why they didn’t put my name. There was no response,” he said.
Shashank also rejected suggestions that he was interested only in playing franchise cricket.
“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, I was adjudged India’s best white-ball all-rounder by the BCCI when I received the Lala Amarnath Award for the Best All-Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions for the 2023-24 season,” he said.
HOW HAS SHASHANK PERFORMED IN DOMESTIC?
One of India’s most consistent domestic white-ball performers in recent years, Shashank enjoyed another productive campaign in 2024-25, scoring 450 runs and taking 11 wickets in seven Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. He also scored 188 runs in seven Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games.
Ahead of the new season, Shashank has decided to focus exclusively on white-ball cricket, taking a break from the red-ball format as he looks to establish himself as a genuine all-rounder capable of bowling his full quota in T20 cricket.
The all-rounder also played a crucial role in Punjab Kings’ run to the IPL 2025 final, scoring 350 runs at a strike rate of 153.51, including an unbeaten 61 off 30 balls in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Having represented Mumbai before returning to Chhattisgarh in 2018 for greater opportunities, Shashank now begins another chapter in his domestic career, hoping for a fresh start with Pondicherry after an acrimonious exit from his home state association.
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