Indian all-rounder Shashank Singh is making a significant move to Pondicherry for the upcoming domestic season, citing a lack of support and unfair treatment from his former state association, Chhattisgarh.
IMAGE: Shashank Singh opens up on his Chhattisgarh exit. Photograph: BCCI
Key Points
- Shashank Singh is moving to Pondicherry for the 2026-27 domestic season.
- He alleges a lack of support from the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh during his injury recovery.
- Singh claims he was excluded from state tournaments and camps without explanation.
- The all-rounder plans to focus on white-ball cricket to manage his workload.
- He was a recipient of the Lala Amarnath Award for Best All-Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs.
Punjab Kings all-rounder Shashank Singh has decided to move to Pondicherry for the 2026-27 domestic season, alleging that the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh failed to support him during his recovery from injury.
The 34-year-old has secured a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the CSCS and will play for Pondicherry as one of the team’s guest players alongside Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar.
Allegations Against Chhattisgarh Cricket Sangh
In an interview with The Times of India, Shashank said he received little support from the state association after suffering a serious shoulder injury and a fractured finger last season. He also claimed he was left out of both the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League and the team’s pre-season camp in Bengaluru without being told why.
“I suffered serious shoulder and finger injuries last season, but the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh didn’t support me at all in this phase,” he said.
Shashank revealed that despite seeking answers, he was never given a reason for being omitted from the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League 2026 and the Bengaluru training camp.
“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 (in Feb 2025), I was adjudged as India’s best all-rounder in the white-ball circuit by the BCCI, when I was named as the recipient of the prestigious Lala Amarnath Award for the Best All-Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions for the 2023-24 season,” Shashank said.
Future Plans And White-Ball Focus
Looking ahead, the experienced all-rounder said he plans to focus exclusively on white-ball cricket this season while stepping away from the red-ball format to manage his workload and return as a genuine all-rounder.
“My body is still fresh. This is why I’m focusing more on white-ball cricket and taking a break from red-ball cricket for this season. I’m focusing on bowling my full quota of four overs in T20 cricket, for both Pondicherry and Punjab Kings in the IPL,” he said.
Shashank was one of Punjab Kings’ standout performers during their run to the IPL 2025 final, scoring 350 runs at an impressive strike rate of 153.51. However, he couldn’t replicate that form in IPL 2026, managing 132 runs in nine innings.
