Suryansh Shedge may have produced one of Punjab Kings’ most important knocks of IPL 2026, but the youngster is not getting carried away. After rescuing his side from a collapse against Gujarat Titans, Shedge made it clear that personal milestones or selection chatter are far from his mind.
Coming in at a point where PBKS were already in trouble, Shedge’s 57 off 29 balls gave his team a fighting total of 163/9. Speaking after the game, however, he brushed aside any talk of a “race” for places or personal progression.
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“It’s not a race, sir. It’s not a race. We’re here to win the trophy. I look at it from that perspective. That’s the last thing on my mind, progressing in cricket. I just want to give my 100% for the team. So I don’t look at it from that perspective, sir,” Shedge said.
Despite his standout effort, the batter admitted there was still more he could have done in that situation.
“I think I should have stayed there because I was set. And if I would have let that ball go, things would have been different. I think I’ve learnt to remain calmer and stay in the present. So next time I’ll be more mindful,” he added.
His innings came at a time when Punjab were reeling at 47 for 5, with Mohammed Siraj and the GT pace unit dismantling the top order. What followed was not just a recovery, but a shift in momentum.
HOW SHEDGE SAVED PBKS FROM A BIG COLLAPSE
Shedge didn’t walk in looking to rescue the innings in a hurry. He read the situation first.
There was no panic in his approach. No desperate swings. Instead, he took his time, absorbed the pressure, and built his innings with clarity. Against a disciplined attack led by Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder, he chose his moments carefully.
With Marcus Stoinis at the other end, the two stitched together a crucial 79-run stand for the sixth wicket. It was this partnership that gave PBKS a way back into the game.
The turning point came in the 14th over.
Facing Manav Suthar, Shedge switched gears and took him apart, smashing 6, 6, 4, 4, 6 to collect 26 runs in the over and bring up his fifty in just 24 balls. On a pitch where scoring had been hard work, that burst changed the mood instantly.
By the time Shedge edged one behind off Rabada, PBKS had moved from damage control to a competitive total. It wasn’t a match-winning score, but it was enough to keep the game alive.
Without that innings, the contest might not have lasted till the final over.
WHY SHEDGE IS NOT LOOKING AT THE ‘RACE’
The conversation around middle-order spots, especially with the Indian team in mind, is always present. But Shedge isn’t buying into it.
His focus, as he made clear, remains simple, contribute to the team and stay present in the moment. That approach reflected in his innings as well, where he didn’t try to do too much too soon.
Even after a knock that stood out in a losing cause, the takeaway for him wasn’t the runs, but what he could have done better by staying till the end.
For a player still early in his IPL journey, that clarity might matter as much as the runs themselves.
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