Punjab Kings’ Shashank Singh celebrates the victory over Gujarat Titans during the IPL-17 2024 Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings cricket match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on April 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Vinay Soneji

In last December’s IPL auction, Punjab Kings bought Shashank Singh under confusing circumstances. There were two Shashanks in the pool and for a fleeting moment, PBKS thought it had bought the wrong player, tried to take back the bid before accepting him as one of its own.

On April 4, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the 32-year-old Chhattisgarh batter showed why it was a prudent decision. He scored a swashbuckling unbeaten 61 (29b, 6×4, 4×6) as PBKS chased down a 200-run target against Gujarat Titans with three wickets and a ball to spare.

Shashank was helped in no small measure by Impact Player Ashutosh Sharma (31, 17b, 3×4, 1×6) and Jitesh Sharma (16, 8b, 2×6). GT didn’t aid itself as Umesh Yadav dropped Ashutosh at deep square-leg when he was still on three.

Shashank, who came in at 70 for four, started by smashing Umesh for two fours and a six in the 11th over, before scooping Mohit Sharma over the ’keeper and lofting him over mid-off. It was in fact Mohit who kept GT in the hunt, conceding seven runs in the 15th over and six in the 17th.

But with 62 needed from 30, Jitesh carted Rashid Khan for two maximums over long-on and long-off, and in the 18th over, Ashutosh hit Azmatullah Omarzai for three fours.

Eventually Mohit too wilted under pressure, conceding 18 in the penultimate over. Seven runs were too little for Darshan Nalkande to defend.

Earlier, after being asked to bat, Shubman Gill was at his sublime best (89 n.o., 48b, 6×4, 4×6), and was assisted by B. Sai Sudharsan (33, 19b, 6×4) and Rahul Tewatia (23 n.o., 8b, 3×4, 1×6).

GT was initially hampered by slow approaches from Wriddhiman Saha (11, 13b) and Kane Williamson (26, 22b, 4×4), who replaced the injured David Miller. But Sai Sudharsan produced a breezy knock, peppering the entire arc on the leg-side with fours.

When the left-hander fell at 122 in the 14th over, GT was on the ascendency. Vijay Shankar sucked out some of the momentum (8, 10b) but Gill combined with Tewatia for a manic 35-run partnership off just 14 deliveries. The duo had seemingly knocked PBKS out, only for the away side to rise from the dead.

Gujarat Titans’ Mohit Sharma during press conference ahead of their Punjab Kings Cricket Match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 31, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

From 2019 to 2021, Mohit Sharma played a grand total of two IPL games. In 2022, he travelled as a net bowler for Gujarat Titans.

For someone who held the Purple Cap in 2014 for Chennai Super Kings (23 wickets) and played two World Cups for India (2014 T20 & 2015 ODI), it would have been a tough experience.

But he showed his true worth last season when he claimed 27 wickets as GT nearly defended the IPL title it won in its inaugural year in 2022. And the 35-year-old has carried that form into this season — six wickets from three matches at an economy rate of 7.75.

On Wednesday, ahead of the game against Punjab Kings, Mohit credited the atmosphere at GT for helping him stay motivated.

“It depends on how your fellow players see you after a bad performance,” Mohit said. “That decides whether you feel good or bad. In this team, over the last three years, if you have a bad performance, we don’t talk about it. The rectification happens on the ground, not in the dressing room. That maintains confidence levels.”

In that nerve-wracking 2023 final against CSK, Mohit almost defended 13 runs before conceding a six and a four off the last two deliveries. It left him heart-broken but there were learnings too.

“Not just that last over, I learnt a lot throughout the IPL last year,” he said. “If you talk about just those two deliveries, I can say this — when you are under pressure, your subconscious mind dominates. That shouldn’t happen and you have to follow your instinct. I learnt that aspect from those two balls.”

Punjab Kings Arshdeep Singh during a practice session ahead of their IPL match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 31, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

An upbeat Gujarat Titans will take on a worried Punjab Kings in an Indian Premier League match at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Thursday.

GT registered a morale-boosting seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in its previous match that helped recover from the thrashing against Chennai Super Kings. PBKS, which started with a victory over Delhi Capitals, is coming off two dispiriting losses against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants.

The Shubman Gill-led home side has been meticulous and efficient without being spectacular. B. Sai Sudharsan had held the batting together, especially at the Modi Stadium where pitches haven’t necessarily been featherbeds.

The return to form of David Miller also augurs well as GT looks for a third straight home win. Among bowlers, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, R. Sai Kishore and Noor Ahmad have impressed. But the jury is still out on whether Umesh Yadav is an adequate-enough replacement for Mohammed Shami.

PBKS, on the other hand, desperately needs a victory. It could have had one if it had not frittered away the chance from a commanding position against LSG. Chasing 200, PBKS was 102 for no loss before being blinded by Mayank Yadav’s searing pace.

Shikhar Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran have been among the runs, but haven’t fired collectively. Livingstone suffered a hamstring injury against LSG and his fitness will be assessed on matchday morning.

Medium-pacer Harshal Patel has bled 137 runs from 12 overs while tweaker Rahul Chahar has blown hot and cold. Will the in-form Karnataka pacer Vidwath Kaverappa make his IPL bow or seasoned all-rounder Rishi Dhawan be trusted?