Suryansh Shedge in press conference© BCCI/IPL
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is a massive platform for emerging players to showcase their skills, impress selectors, and earn call-ups to the national team. Punjab Kings batter Suryansh Shedge, who helped the team post a respectable total of 163/9 against Gujarat Titans on Sunday, was asked about his personal ‘race’ as a middle-order batter in the IPL. Shedge, however, was quick to remind the reporter that the target for him and the team is to win the trophy, not to succeed in a personal ‘race’.
Shedge, who scored a valuable 57 for PBKS after a top-order collapse, was key to the team reaching a 160-plus figure. While there remains intense competition for top-order spots in the Indian team, the middle order is considerably less congested. When Shedge was asked if this situation helps his case for a possible national selection, he insisted that he is not focused on the ‘race’.
“It’s not a race, sir. It’s not a race. We’re here to win the trophy. I look at it from that perspective. That’s the last thing on my mind, progressing in cricket. I just want to give my 100% for the team. So I don’t look at it from that perspective, sir,” he said.
It was only the second match that Shedge has played in the IPL this season. When asked about the wait for an opportunity, he revealed that conversations with coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer kept him focused.
“I’ve been speaking to Ricky Sir a lot. I’ve been speaking to our captain a lot because I know him. So the only thing they tell me is whenever the opportunity knocks, you have to be ready and take it with both arms. So that’s what I tried to do. Since I was young, I’ve always enjoyed having a challenge. And if I can recall clearly, this season while playing domestic cricket, I think I’ve gotten my team out of trouble as well in the U23s and some other tournaments. So I always like it; I think I thrive in it. And going forward, I can’t anticipate which situation I’m thrown into. I can just be ready for everything. And that’s how I try to prepare. I try to put myself into different scenarios.”
Featured Video Of The Day
Tushar Deshpande’s Brilliant Final Act Ensures Thrilling Win For RR Over Gujarat Titans
Topics mentioned in this article
