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Xtra Time Web Desk: Punjab Kings’ batter Shashank Singh had played cricket for more than 10 years but wasn't sure if it was the right thing for him. He even thought about quitting cricket Sixteen months ago. Then, during the IPL 2023 auction nobody even showed interest in him. This made him feel frustrated. Even though he had played well for the SunRisers before, he didn't get picked by any team in the auction.

Later on, Punjab said they had wanted Shashank Singh all along, but the confusion during the auction caused some talk on social media. Despite the noise, Shashank was happy to join Punjab, and he tweeted his happiness when Punjab clarified the situation. Four months later, Shashank Singh showed why Punjab made a good choice. In a match against Gujarat Titans, when Punjab was struggling at 70 for 4, Shashank played a brilliant innings, scoring 61 runs from 29 balls. He hit 4 sixes and 6 boundaries, helping Punjab win the match.

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Even though Shashank faced challenges, his family supported him. When he felt frustrated after not being picked in the IPL 2023 auction, his family would call him late at night to check on him. He didn't give up. He continued playing in domestic cricket until Punjab finally bought him in the 2024 auction.

Shashank’s journey hasn't been easy. He faced tough competition when he played for Mumbai. But instead of feeling discouraged, he worked even harder and felt like he belonged there.

Eye opening in Mumbai

Shashank managed to play only 15 T20s and 3 List A games across four seasons in Mumbai from 2015. Knowing that lack of opportunities won't help, Shashank made the switch to Chattisgarh, where he consistently got opportunities.

He said, "When I played for Mumbai, you know the struggles in Mumbai, you have to take a local train and go onto the ground. All those things matter because when you go onto the ground you feel like performing.”

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"Mumbai is the Mecca of Cricket. Having played for DY Patil for years, you need to score consistently to get into the Mumbai side. You know it's not easy to crack into the Mumbai side for someone who is a middle-order batter. Mumbai has a wealth of middle-order batters. If you see Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), Sarfaraz (Khan), Shreyas (Iyer) everyone and that was tough.” He added.