Ahead of their IPL 2026 campaign opener, Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh spoke about his fearless approach and how he plans to move forward in the upcoming season. Shashank has been a valuable find for PBKS, as within just two years of joining the franchise, he has established himself as one of the most reliable batters in the lineup. In IPL 2025, Shashank played a key role in guiding Punjab to the final, where they eventually lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs. However, the 34-year-old batter is highly motivated and is ready to go the extra mile this time around.
Speaking on JioStar’s show The Press Room, Shashank revealed that closely reading pitch conditions before stepping out to bat has been key to his success.
“Pitch conditions are always important. Being a finisher, it’s my duty to provide momentum to the team. Before I go out to bat, I keep assessing and reading the wicket while sitting in the dugout. It’s important to analyse the wind, the conditions, and even the bowlers who will be bowling to me,” Shashank said while responding to NDTV’s query on JioStar’s Press Room about fearless prodigies.
“If I come out to bat in the 15th over, I know I have just five overs left. Assessing the conditions helps me decide when to accelerate or slow down. This approach has helped me a lot in my game,” he added.
Shashank also spoke on the fearless nature of his team players, saying that “the less they think, the better they perform” and the young batters do not dwell when they get beaten.
The Punjab Kings line-up features several young batters, including the opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, who had a breakout season last year, Harnoor Singh, Suryansh Shedge and two exciting Australian talents, Cooper Connolly and Mitchell Owen.
“The best thing about the youngsters is that they are completely fearless. Players from Punjab, like Nehal Wadhera, Suryansh Shedge, and Harnoor Singh, all of them do not think too much. I have realised that we tend to overthink at times, even I do, but these guys do not. The less they think, the better they perform. When they are batting, even if they play four dots or get beaten, they don’t dwell on it. They just focus on the next ball. In the IPL, it is more about confidence, and that is their biggest strength,” he said.
(With ANI Inputs)