Shashank Singh has officially parted ways with the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) and will represent Puducherry for the 2026-27 domestic cricket season. The player has already received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the CSCS following his request. While the association confirmed the issuance of the NOC, a senior official stated that they would not comment further on the player's personal views.
The decision follows a period of mounting tension, which Shashank described as "brewing for a while." The cricketer alleged that he faced "disrespect" and a lack of communication from officials. He noted that his attempts to engage in dialogue following the IPL season were met with silence. Furthermore, he expressed frustration over being excluded from the 2026 Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League and not being considered for the state’s conditioning camp for probables. Shashank, who was recognized as the BCCI’s best domestic white-ball allrounder for the 2023-24 season, stated that he expected clarity rather than what he perceived as ridicule.
Shashank, who serves as the vice-captain for the Punjab Kings in the IPL, pointed to several instances of "indifference" during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. After sustaining a Grade 2 shoulder strain while fielding against Mumbai, he claimed that officials doubted his commitment despite evidence from medical scans and his decision to bat through the injury. He also detailed a thumb fracture sustained while training at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which officials allegedly dismissed as minor despite medical concerns regarding his IPL participation.
Due to these recurring injuries, Shashank has decided to focus exclusively on white-ball cricket for the upcoming season, a request that Puducherry agreed to before finalizing the transfer. Over his seven-year tenure with Chhattisgarh, he played 24 first-class games, scoring 905 runs at an average of 29.19. His white-ball record includes 927 runs in 31 List A matches at an average of 40.30, along with 35 wickets, and 653 runs with 18 wickets across 42 T20s. Looking ahead, Shashank views his move to Puducherry as a "fresh start" to regain his white-ball proficiency.
"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. That is the reason why I only want to focus on white-ball, and Puducherry fortunately agreed to this request of mine before we got down to the paperwork"
Having suffered multiple injuries over the past year, Shashank now wants to play only in the white-ball format for at least the upcoming season. This, he believes, will give him the best chance to play as an allrounder.
