IPL 2026 turned out to be a major disappointment for Punjab Kings. The team, which finally enjoyed the success of reaching the playoffs after 11 years in 2025 and went on to finish as runners-up, entered the 2026 season as one of the favourites to lift the trophy. Led by Shreyas Iyer, PBKS lived up to expectations in the first half of the campaign, winning six of their first seven matches, while one game was washed out due to rain. Everything appeared to be going according to plan as Punjab surged towards a playoff berth, outplaying most of their opponents. However, what followed was a twist straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. PBKS lost six consecutive matches and ultimately missed out on qualification for the playoffs.
Questions were raised about both the players and the management, with fans demanding answers for the dramatic collapse. Recently, NDTV spoke to PBKS batter Shashank Singh, who has been with the franchise since 2024, about the team’s downfall and how they dealt with the setback.
NDTV: Last year, the team suffered a dramatic downfall after winning six matches on the trot. What was the atmosphere in the camp after that, and what were the discussions with Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer?
Shashank: Obviously, after winning six games, the morale was very high. There were no negative discussions. But at the same time, we kept wondering why it was happening. As far as I know, this has never happened to any team before. Winning six or seven games in a row and then losing six on the trot is a collapse that very few teams have experienced. Naturally, we were a bit concerned. We kept asking ourselves where we were going wrong. But the IPL is such a fast-moving tournament that correcting mistakes is not easy. It’s not as if you’re changing the playing XI every match. Usually, 10 or 11 players remain the same.
We were confused about why things were unfolding the way they were, but the best part was that we never turned negative. Now that the IPL has been over for nearly three months, when we look back on that phase, we realise there were several key moments that cost us games. We dropped crucial catches, could have bowled better in important overs, and failed to build on important partnerships.
NDTV: During that period, there were several campaigns on social media suggesting there was a rift within the team. Did that affect the dressing room in any way?
Shashank: Not at all. Not even by 0.1 per cent. The best part was that we were quite relaxed. The way we approached the first six games and the way we approached the last eight games was exactly the same. Obviously, our performances on the field were not as good in the second half, but off the field everything was completely normal. Whether it was Shreyas, Arshdeep, Yuzi, or Ricky sir, everyone focused on the positives. They had experienced such situations before. Most of the younger players hadn’t.
We were never bothered by what was being said on social media, and we never really discussed it among ourselves either.
NDTV: During the game against SRH, the bowlers were getting hit all over the park before Shreyas turned to you, and you picked up two crucial wickets. What was going through your mind at that time?
Shashank: Last year, I couldn’t play much domestic cricket because I was injured. But mentally, I was very prepared and determined to bowl this year. With the Impact Player rule in place, I always knew that if we had five specialist bowlers in the XI, I could be the sixth or seventh bowling option. I understood that I would likely be called upon only when the bowling unit wasn’t doing well.
So I stayed prepared. When that moment came and Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head were taking on our bowlers, I went to Shreyas and told him, “Just give me an over or two and I’ll make sure I do the job.”
I had visualised those situations repeatedly during my practice sessions, so I was mentally ready when the opportunity arrived.
NDTV: Would you like to say something about the dropped catches from last season?
Shashank: My friends still troll me about them. But honestly, there wasn’t any technical issue. Fielding is all about enjoying the process. After I dropped those first two catches against LSG, I stopped enjoying it. Since my Under-16 and Under-19 days, coaches have always told us to enjoy fielding and not be too harsh on ourselves. But I wasn’t doing that. It’s not as if I was a bad fielder. I’ve always been a good fielder and have taken plenty of good catches throughout my career. I still do. But the IPL is such a fast-paced tournament that once something goes wrong, it tends to stay in your mind.
As a professional player, maybe I shouldn’t say this, but that’s exactly what happened to me. I kept wondering, “Why is this happening?” Everyone in the team management knew how much I practised. I was taking 500 to 1,000 catches a day, but even that wasn’t helping because I wasn’t enjoying it. After the IPL, when I spoke to my coaches and some close friends who have known me since childhood, they pointed out that I wasn’t enjoying fielding anymore. I can’t guarantee that I’ll never drop another catch or that I’ll score a hundred in every match. But I enjoy batting and bowling, and I should have enjoyed fielding in the same way.
I wasn’t doing that, and as a human being, mistakes can happen. It was a learning experience for me, and hopefully, in the coming years, I will enjoy fielding a lot more.
NDTV: Recently, you moved from Chhattisgarh to Pondicherry in domestic cricket. Tell us more about that decision.
Shashank: For this season, I want to focus primarily on white-ball cricket. I’m not saying that will be the case forever, but for now that’s where my focus lies because I really want to develop as a bowler. As an all-rounder, playing all three formats in domestic cricket can sometimes become very demanding. This year, I want to become a proper white-ball all-rounder, someone who can bowl 10 overs in a one-day match and also score a hundred.
Somewhere, I felt that I wasn’t getting enough support from my state team. That’s my perception, and I could be wrong. But that’s how I felt at the time. Instead of arguing over it, I thought it was better to move on because a cricketer’s career is not very long. I had an opportunity to move, and there was a state association that was happy to let me focus exclusively on white-ball cricket. That suited my plans perfectly, so I decided to make the switch and concentrate on white-ball cricket this season.
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