CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress / ITDC News Bhopal: After being the butt of all jokes for being an ‘accidental pick’ at the IPL 2024 auction by Punjab Kings, Chhattisgarh’s Shashank Singh proved that there is nothing accidental about his cricket skills with a match-winning knock for PBKS against Gujarat Titans earlier this week. The all-rounder turned hero for the men in red in a precarious situation chasing 200 in Ahmedabad. Batting at no. 6, Shashank inspired Punjab to a 3-wicket with an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls, which included four sixes and six fours.
He walked away with the Player of the Match Award and said, “I feel ‘I’m the best in the world’ when I got to bat. I don’t see the bowler but the ball and just react to it.”
Feeling like the ‘best in the world’ is one thing, but to be that, that too in a pressure situation, takes a lot of self-belief. And the 32-year-old had his state coach, Hitesh Goswami, to thank. Goswami made an under-confident Shashank believe that he is the ‘Baap’ of the game.
In an exclusive chat with News18 CricketNext, Goswami recalled his first impression of Shashank after joining the Chhattisgarh state team as the head coach.
“Shashank has always been a good player. But I wanted to make him express himself which he wasn’t doing well when I joined. So, that’s the thing I worked on. Even if he gets out, it’s okay. I wanted him to trust himself and his ability to hit any bowler,” Goswami said.
“See, there are three types of people. One, whom I’ll scold and they will understand. Second are those I’ll talk to nicely, and third type, they just need a pat on the back as if they are the only ones who can do the job. Shashank is the third type.
“So I just wanted to make him realize that he’s the most important player in white ball for me in Chhattisgarh. It doesn’t matter how many good performers there are in the team, but you are the main player for me. And he proved it in the one-dayers. So, he needed somebody to tell him Tu Hi Baap Hai” he added.
Shashank was Chhattisgarh’s most prolific run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season, amassing 450 runs in six innings, including two 150-plus scores. Out of the two, the most important one came against Vidarbha in Jaipur – 154 off 111 balls with 11 sixes and as many boundaries. Though that knock couldn’t take Chhattisgarh beyond the finish line, it was a statement that there is no dearth of talent in the heartland of the country.
