Shashank Singh credits legendary cricketer Brian Lara for playing a crucial role in boosting his batting confidence. The right-handed middle-order batsman served under Lara after joining the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) cricket team for the IPL 2023 season. Despite Shashank’s underwhelming performance, scoring just 69 runs at a batting average of 17.25, he found inspiration in the words of Brian Lara. The SRH organisation released Shashank before PBKS purchased him to transform into a dependable player for their team. His 52-run innings against CSK using 36 balls provided PBKS with their victory in Mullanpur through an 18-run margin.
Brian Lara’s Advice Helped Me Trust My Style Over Power-Hitting, Says Shashank Singh
“So obviously, I will give credit to Mr. Brian Lara because when I played for SRH three years ago, he was someone who told me that at number 7 or 8, it’s not always about power hitting. When you think about those positions, you usually think of players like Russell or Pollard, not players who time the ball well. He told me that if you’re batting at 6 or 7, you should back your instincts rather than trying to be like someone else. That gave me confidence. I realised that if I’m not a power hitter, I need to focus on finding the right angles, which keeps me going,” Shashank said in the post-match press conference.
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Shashank Singh Praises Brian Lara’s Positivity And Open-Door Mentorship At PBKS Camp
“From day one when we joined the camp, he’s been very approachable. His doors are always open for anyone, not just me. I’ve known him for the last 12 years, but any youngster in the team can just go and have a word with him. He’s someone who’s always very positive. He always speaks positively—it’s just part of his language. That’s the best part, and it’s great for the team,” Shashank added.
The Punjab Kings will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, April 12, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
