Ahmedabad, May 4: Punjab Kings’ Suryaansh Shadge reminisced about his journey to the playing eleven, stating that his time spent off the field has been beneficial. It provided him with an opportunity to prepare himself both physically and mentally.
During the match against Gujarat Titans on Sunday evening, the pitch was unpredictable, making batting challenging. Shadge came in to bat at number six when Punjab was struggling at 36 runs for 4 wickets in the seventh over. Shortly after, Shreyas Iyer was dismissed, leaving the team at 47 runs for 5 wickets.
However, Shadge formed a crucial partnership of 79 runs with Marcus Stoinis off just 44 balls. He scored 57 runs off 29 balls, including 3 fours and 5 sixes, achieving a strike rate of 196.55, and aimed to take the team to a respectable score.
Post-match, Shadge remarked, “I wouldn’t say I was waiting, but I was preparing myself. The time spent off the field worked in my favor. It allowed me to get ready physically and mentally. Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer always said to seize the opportunity when it arises, and I tried to do just that.”
He added, “My goal was to stay at the crease for as long as possible, which made it easier to play. On such a pitch, a batsman needs to settle in before attempting big shots. Scoring 240 or 250 runs was not feasible on this wicket, as it did not allow for that.”
Punjab Kings managed to score a total of 163 runs. Although this score was slightly low, Shadge believed the team performed well. He stated, “We could have scored another 20-25 runs, but 163 was still a competitive score. We gave it our all and learned many valuable lessons from this match.”
In bowling, Arshdeep Singh delivered an impressive performance, conceding only 24 runs in 4 overs and taking 2 wickets, keeping the team in contention. Vijaykumar Vaishakh also showcased good bowling, claiming the crucial wickets of Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan while giving away 31 runs in 4 overs.
Shadge praised Vaishakh’s bowling, saying, “Before the powerplay ended, our bowling coach instructed him to bowl on a ‘hard length’. After that, you could see how well he bowled.”
Despite the loss, Punjab Kings remain at the top of the points table with 13 points from 9 matches. They will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on May 6, aiming to return to winning ways and maintain their lead in the standings.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.