Rohit Sharma is my dream captain: Shashank Singh
Punjab Kings’ middle-order batter Shashank Singh has named Rohit Sharma as his “dream captain”. He complimented Rohit for backing his players and also appreciated his mindset while leading the side.
Shashank lauded Rohit’s habit of keeping things easy-going and his on-field banter with the players, which as per Shashank is the reason behind Rohit having a good connection with his teammates. Shashank, who impressed with his aggressive and calculated knocks for Punjab Kings in IPL 2024, also brought up his experience of playing with him when he was part of the Mumbai team in domestic cricket.
Though he will be playing under Shreyas Iyer, who has been named as the new skipper for the Punjab-based franchise ahead of IPL 2025, the 33-year-old batting all-rounder revealed that it is his dream to play under the leadership of the two-time ICC trophy-winning skipper Rohit.
“Everyone says that he [Rohit] backs his players to the hilt; gives them plenty of chances. He is a very smart captain. His one-liners (on the field) are also quite funny. If you ask me one captain I would want to play under, it will be Rohit Sharma,” Shashank said on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel. “He is from Bombay. I have also batted with him once. He was not the captain back then. I want to play under his leadership, that’s my wish.”
From an ‘accidental buy’ to Punjab Kings’ hero: Shashank Singh’s inspiring story
Shashank was picked by Punjab Kings in the IPL 2024 auction in dubious circumstances as the franchise had seemingly bid for him during the accelerated round out of confusion, mistaking him for another player with an identical name. However, the franchise later issued a clarification, stating that the Shashank they ended up with was always on their target. He was eventually signed at his base price of INR 20 lakhs.
The said events did not stop him from becoming one of their best players in the season as he ended up as the team’s highest run-getter, scoring 354 runs at an average of 44.25 and a strike rate of 164.65 in 14 games.
As a result, Shashank was one of the only two players retained by Punjab Kings ahead of the 2025 auction, securing a price tag of INR 5.50 crore. It is safe to say that he has gained the trust of the franchise after last season.
