Some breakups happen overnight. Others build for years, one small slight at a time, until the person finally says enough is enough. Shashank Singh’s split from Chhattisgarh cricket is the second kind, and he wants everyone to know exactly how it built.
The Punjab Kings vice-captain has signed for Puducherry ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season. He did not slip out quietly. He handed ESPNcricinfo the entire receipts folder on his way out the door.
“I’m not saying you give me preferential treatment, but someone who won that award deserves some clarity, not ridicule,” Shashank said. He was referencing the BCCI award he won in 2023-24 for the best domestic white-ball allrounder in the country.
Sit with that for a second. He is not asking for a statue. He is asking why the reigning best white-ball allrounder in Indian domestic cricket got treated like a fringe player.
The Reasons Kept Stacking Up
Shashank got left off the 2026 Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League squad with no explanation given. Then he got skipped for the conditioning camp for state probables. Imagine winning your sport’s version of an MVP vote, then getting told you still have not made the cut for practice.
He is also not the only player making a move like this. Nehal Wadhera just left Punjab for Himachal Pradesh, which means this off-season is turning into a genuine reshuffle across India’s domestic map.
“Just before the Vijay Hazare Trophy, I was at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for some conditioning and batting prep,” Shashank explained. He funded that session himself, since he is not a contracted player.
His Body Backed Up His Argument
This is where the story stops being annoying and starts being genuinely rough. Shashank suffered a Grade 2 shoulder strain fielding against Mumbai during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. He still batted through it in that same match. Association officials, he says, decided that meant he was not committed.
Then came the thumb. Prasidh Krishna hit him during that self-funded Bengaluru session, and doctors thought he might miss the entire IPL season. Chhattisgarh officials still were not convinced it was serious enough to matter.
Two separate injuries, two separate moments where the people running his cricket doubted him anyway. That kind of pattern wears a player down fast.
So Shashank drew a line. He is going all in on white-ball cricket for now, and Puducherry agreed to build around that before a single form got signed.
“In red-ball cricket, I tried my best to play as an allrounder, but my body didn’t allow it, and I’m tired of trying to convince people of this,” he said.
Why Puducherry Wins This Trade
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-class | 24 | 905 | 29.19 | – | – |
| List A | 31 | 927 | 40.30 | 111.95 | 35 |
| T20 | 42 | 653 | – | 129.30 | 18 |
Look at that List A strike rate again. A number above 111, paired with 35 wickets, is exactly the profile every white-ball captain wants walking into the dressing room.
Remember Shashank’s 2024 IPL season? He hit 354 runs at a strike rate of 164.65, mostly finishing games at five and six for Punjab Kings. That run is why he got retained ahead of the mega auction, and why he is Shreyas Iyer’s deputy today.
Punjab Kings reached the final in 2025 with him doing exactly that job. This past season was tougher, with patchy form, a few dropped catches, and injuries that would not fully clear up.
None of that erases what he showed in 2024. Puducherry just picked up a proven IPL finisher for a fraction of the fuss it usually takes to land one.
“Puducherry is a fresh start,” Shashank said. “I’m hoping to rediscover my white-ball proficiency after having fully recovered from my injuries.”
He spent a full season defending his own commitment to people who were not listening. Bet on him making Chhattisgarh regret it.
