Shashank Singh leaves Chhattisgarh ahead of 2026-27 domestic season

Indian batsman Shashank Singh is set to part ways with Chhattisgarh ahead of the 2026-27 domestic cricket season. He will represent Puducherry and said that lack of clarity has forced him to take the decision.

Shashank, who plays for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS), according to Cricinfo.

He has been representing Chhattisgarh since 2019. "The player had requested the NOC, which has been issued. Whatever else he has said are his views, and the association does not want to make any further comment on the matter," said the senior official to Cricinfo.

The 34-year-old cricketer said that he did not receive a proper explanation from the state association's officials for his exclusion from the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League.

"This has been brewing for a while. I tried to engage in dialogue with the state association officials soon after the IPL season, but I didn't receive any response. They did not have a proper explanation for why I was excluded from the [2026] Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League. They did not tell me why I wasn't considered for the conditioning camp for the state probables," said Shashank.

"I am not saying you give me preferential treatment, but someone who won the BCCI award for the best domestic white-ball allrounder [for 2023-24] at least deserves some clarity, not ridicule," he added.

In the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, he went off the field after sustaining a shoulder injury while fielding during a match against Mumbai. The cricketer said that despite batting with an injury, the association did not see it in the same way.

"Scans revealed a Grade 2 shoulder strain, which our physio was privy to, but the association officials felt I simply was not interested. I batted despite the injury in that match, but obviously they did not see it the same way," he said.

The cricketer also revealed that he sustained a thumb injury during a net session with Prasidh Krishna.

"Just before the Vijay Hazare Trophy, I was at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for some conditioning and batting prep - an initiative I had taken on my own since I am not a contracted player. During that stint, in one of the sessions, I got hit on the thumb by Prasidh Krishna and sustained a fracture," said the batting all-rounder.

"At the time, doctors even felt I'd be touch-and-go for the IPL. But it was not enough to convince Chhattisgarh officials that it was serious enough," he added.

Shashank Singh reveals reason for not playing red-ball cricket

He concluded by saying that his body did not allow him to play red-ball cricket, following which Puducherry agreed to his request to play only white-ball cricket.

"In red-ball cricket, I tried my best to play as an all-rounder, but my body did not allow it, and I am tired of trying to convince people of this. That is the reason why I only want to focus on white-ball, and Puducherry fortunately agreed to this request of mine before we got down to the paperwork. Puducherry is a fresh start. I am hoping to rediscover my white-ball proficiency after having fully recovered from my injuries," said Shashank.

(With ANI Inputs)