It was a special Diwali for Shashank Singh this year as the Indian Premier League (IPL) retention list had come out and he was one of the two players Punjab Kings (PBKS) did not let go. Just a year ago, he was in the news as a mistaken purchase by the franchise at the mini-auction. The cricketer even posted on social media that he's the only 'Shashank' for which PBKS intended to bid for. However, the eyes of the world saw his talent when the season unfolded and he came out smashing bowlers in the cash-rich league. The Chhattisgarh batter finished as the team's highest scorer with 423 runs which included 21 sixes and 28 fours.
His impact was simply sensational and that made PBKS retain him alongside Prabhsimran Singh for a massive price tag of Rs 5.5 crore, as an uncapped player.
"It felt really good when it became official on Diwali," Shashank told News18 CricketNext.
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"I got a call 2-3 days before the announcement. It felt really good as they considered me capable enough to retain. They had that faith in me that I can do well for this team next year. My mom and dad were the most relieved because of the amount of hard work they have done for me, hardly anyone else would have done so. I was quite relieved and had a lot of fun. Diwali was really good," he added.
For those unfamiliar, players like Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik have played under Shashank's captaincy. The allrounder possesses the skills needed to lead a team and has the ability to inspire them to win titles. If PBKS offers him a spot in the leadership group, the 27-year-old would readily embrace the opportunity.
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“Honestly, I don’t know much about it (chances of being included in the PBKS leadership group). I have been leading in the DY Patil T20 tournament for five years and touchwood, I’m doing good so far. Even for Chhattisgarh, if the management considers me capable of leading the side, I would accept it happily. I feel that I have the ability to lead a side and win a championship. Similarly, if Punjab Kings want to try me as captain, I will definitely grab that opportunity with both hands and make proper use of it. I will be grateful but not expecting anything," Shashank said.
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