IPL 2024: PBKS star Shashank Singh reveals 'valuable' advice from ...

Shashank Singh revealed the legendary Brian Lara's advice to him on the sidelines of PBKS' IPL 2024 game against SRH at the Mullanpur Stadium, Punjab on April 9, Tuesday. Shashank turned an overnight star as he led a jailbreak for PBKS against GT at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Speaking to the broadcasters ahead of the match, Shashank revealed that Lara advised him to not think of himself as a slogger during their stint together at the SunRisers franchise. Shashank played for SRH in IPL 2022, but the Hyderabad franchise did not retain him ahead of the 2023 auction. Shashank went unsold in the 2023 auction and nearly contemplated quitting cricket. However, he was bought by Punjab in the 2024 auction.

"Lara advised me not to think of myself as just a slogger, even though I bat at number 7. That was a valuable experience for me," Shashank said on Tuesday.

"Last year, I wasn't on any team, but I put in a lot of effort in domestic cricket. I've been with Chhattisgarh for the past five years, mainly playing red-ball cricket, and I've brought that mindset here. I see myself as a batter who can bowl a bit,". PBKS vs SRH: Live score

Shashank came up a coming-of-age knock as he remained unbeaten to guide PBKS to a 3-wicket win against GT. He hit 61 off 29 deliveries and shared a 43-run stand with Ashutosh Sharma to help PBKS chase down 200 after they were in a spot of bother.

Shashank reminisced about his sensational knock from the last match and was happy to bring smiles to his family and friends' faces. He also mentioned that the game against SRH will be an important one as PBKS will look to secure 2 crucial points in their kitty. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule

"It was a great feeling for me that day, and my family and friends were also very happy. The best part was that it was an away game, and we managed to secure the victory. Today's game against SRH is important for us, so all focus is on this match now.

JOURNEYMAN SHASHANK

An 'accidental buy' by PBKS, Shashank had previously represented RR, SRH as well as Delhi. The 32-year-old mentioned that he didn't get many opportunities in the previous seasons, but learned from the likes of Lara, who was SRH's mentor, and Steve Smith, who played for RR.

"I previously played for Delhi, and I also had stints with Rajasthan and SRH. While I didn't get the chance to play, I got the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest cricketers like Steve Smith and Brian Lara."

Shashank was a sure-shot feature in the match against PBKS and pointed out that the ball would come nicely onto the bat. Shashank will have a score to settle against SRH. The 32-year-old used to play for SRH prior to his move to PBKS. He played 10 matches for them, scoring just 69 runs at an average of 17.25 while striking at 146.81. He was let go after the 2022 season and signed by Punjab in this season's mini-auction held in Dubai last year.

Yeah, it's a new venue, and the wicket is excellent. The ball typically comes onto the bat a bit faster, so we can expect to see plenty of classic cricket shots on this pitch."

Shashank will look to carry his sensational form and establish himself as a match-winner for the team that stands at 6th spot in the points table.