In a candid reflection after Punjab Kings’ narrow defeat to Gujarat Titans, Suryansh Shedge opened up about transforming bench time into batting gold. The 22-year-old’s aggressive 57 off 29 balls injected life into PBKS’s innings on a spiteful Ahmedabad pitch.
The match unfolded dramatically: PBKS slumped to 36/4 by the seventh over amid variable bounce that troubled top-order batsmen. Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal worsened it to 47/5. Enter Shedge, who partnered Marcus Stoinis for a brisk 79-run alliance in 44 balls, featuring five towering sixes and three boundaries.
Post-game, Shedge shared insights: ‘That time on the sidelines wasn’t wasted—it sharpened my body and mind. Mentors like Ponting and Iyer drilled into me: seize the moment fully. I aimed to anchor first, then unleash.’
On the pitch behavior, he noted, ‘Settling in was key before attacking. High scores weren’t feasible here; realism guided my approach.’
Though PBKS reached 163—a decent but insufficient total—Shedge saw positives. ‘We could have stretched to 185-190, but 163 was competitive. Key takeaways abound.’
Arshdeep Singh starred with 2/24 in four overs, while Vyshak Vijaykumar’s 31/2, snaring Buttler and Sudharsan, kept GT in check. ‘Vyshak nailed the hard length as instructed—pure class,’ Shedge lauded.
Holding pole position with 13 points, PBKS head to Hyderabad for a May 6 showdown, determined to reclaim winning momentum.
