Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh, two rising talents, stand out in PBKS’s victory against the Gujarat Giants

In addition to raising team spirit, the Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) incredible comeback victory against the Gujarat Giants (GT) on Thursday also highlighted the promise of two young players, Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh.

The pair supported each other and led the charge, putting together a partnership of 43 runs in 22 balls to chase down the massive total of 200 with three wickets and one ball remaining, bringing the PBKS back to winning ways. Shashank hammered an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls, while Ashutosh made an essential contribution of 31 runs in 17 balls.

“I imagined situations similar to this. But now that I’ve made it happen, I’m really thrilled and proud of myself,” the 32-year-old all-around batsman Shashank said after the game. “I use cricket shots more often. My instructors advised me to play based on merit and to observe how the ball responds to the ball.”

In his 58 domestic T20 matches, Shashank has amassed a strike rate of 137.34. He now plays for the national team of Chhattisgarh, although he has also played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Daredevils (now the Delhi Capitals).

“The bounce and the wicket were excellent. I was facing up against a few legendary players. But I have to think I’m the greatest when I get up to bat. I merely respond to the balls and don’t look at the bowler. I appreciate the support I received throughout the training sessions from Punjab management, the coaching team, and the owners,” he said.

Ashutosh, who signed with the Punjab Kings this year, returned the favor the team showed him by joining as an impact replacement during the game. His quick success is evidence of PBKS’s great talent scouting and keen comprehension of the game.

The organization has been watching the 25-year-old for the last several years, and during the trials in Mohali in November, Ashutosh further impressed King’s scouting staff, who were looking for a strong hitter who could close off games.

Following the game, Ashutosh thanked the Punjab team for their unwavering support. “Thank you to the team for having faith in me. Giving such a strong performance for one’s debut feels fantastic. But the fact that our team prevailed and I was able to help them win mattered more than my own performance.”

The 25-year-old, who was brought to Indore at the age of 10 to improve his cricketing abilities, is originally from the Madhya Pradesh town of Ratlam. Ashutosh had little money but learned how to take care of himself; he worked as an umpire and a ball boy to make ends meet.

The right-handed batsman made a crucial move in 2022 when he joined the Railways. The previous year, he broke Yuvraj Singh’s record with an 11-ball fifty. He also hit 200 in only 60 balls in an inter-railway game, which attracted the attention of scouts from the Punjab Kings.

Ashutosh also gave appreciation to Sanjay Bangar, Head of Cricket Development, and Shikhar Dhawan, the captain of PBKS, for instilling self-belief in him. “I’ve learned a lot about the mental side of things from Shikhar Paaji. I was certain that I could pull it off. “I would also like to acknowledge Sanjay Bangar Sir, who has supported me and served as an inspiration ever since our first training session,” he said.

Since its founding, the Punjab-based team has discovered a lot of new potential. In 2019, Ashish Tuli, who has been a part of the squad for the last 15 years and was the head of talent identification & analysis for the Punjab Kings at the time, also recruited players at the grassroots level, including Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, and Harpreet Brar.