‘I was preparing, not waiting’: Suryansh Shedge shines on tricky pitch with fightback knock for PBKS

Punjab Kings youngster Suryansh Shedge made a strong statement with the bat, saying the time spent out of the playing XI helped him prepare mentally and physically for his opportunity.

Shedge played a crucial innings against Gujarat Titans on Sunday, stepping up when his team was in serious trouble and showing maturity beyond his experience.

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‘I was preparing, not waiting’: Shedge on his mindset

The young batter made it clear that he stayed focused even while sitting out, using that period to improve himself.

“I wouldn’t say I was waiting; I was preparing. The time on the sidelines benefitted me and it gave me the opportunity to prepare physically and mentally. Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer have consistently told me the same thing too: when the opportunity arrives, you must be ready to take it with both hands. That is what I tried to do,” Shedge said.

Punjab Kings were struggling badly when Shedge walked in at No. 6, with the scoreboard reading 36/4 and soon slipping to 47/5 after Shreyas Iyer was dismissed.

From there, Shedge built a crucial partnership with Marcus Stoinis, adding 79 runs in quick time. He went on to score a brilliant 57 off just 29 balls, hitting boundaries all around the ground and keeping PBKS in the contest.

Smart approach on a tricky pitch

The surface was not easy to bat on, with uneven bounce making strokeplay difficult. Shedge adjusted his game accordingly and focused on spending time at the crease.

“My only intention was to spend as much time at the crease as possible, and I think that made things easier as I progressed through the innings,” he explained.

“On such wickets, a batter has to take time to settle before playing expansive shots. Targeting 240 or 250 on this track was never realistic, the double-paced surface simply did not allow it.”

‘163 was a fighting total’: Shedge stays positive

Punjab eventually posted 163, which proved slightly short in the end, but Shedge believes the team gave its best effort.

“Perhaps we could have scored 20 to 25 more runs, but I still believe 163 was a fighting total. We gave everything we had, and there are many positives to take from this game.”

With the ball, Arshdeep Singh delivered a tight spell, giving away just 24 runs in his four overs and picking up two key wickets.

Vijaykumar Vyshak also impressed by removing big names like Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan, helping Punjab stay in the game till the final overs.

Clear planning helped Vyshak execute better

Shedge revealed that specific instructions from the coaching staff played a role in Vyshak’s performance.

“Just before the powerplay ended, our bowling coach sent a message to Vyshak to bowl at that hard length, and you could see how well he bowled after receiving that message.”

PBKS current position after defeat

Even after the loss, Punjab Kings remain at the top of the table with 13 points from nine matches.

They will now shift focus to their next clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 6, aiming to bounce back and strengthen their position at the top.