Shashank was very vocal about his aspirations and mentioned how his dream to represent India at the biggest stage keeps him motivated to do well. He spoke about his journey and growth over the years, and how his family played a key role in shaping his career as a cricketer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhile my family has always been supportive, many others have also backed me throughout my career. All my coaches who have taught and trained me so far, as well as my teammates, have also played a part. However, my mum, dad, and sister have been the biggest supporters, and a lot of credit goes to them,\" Shashank told IANS in an exclusive interview.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cLooking back on my journey, I started playing for MP, then we moved to Bombay, and later I returned to Chhattisgarh. Eventually, I began gaining recognition in the IPL. It\u2019s been a long journey, and like every other cricketer, I faced many ups and downs. But I believe I have overcome them all, and I am currently in the right zone.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy dream of representing the Indian national team is something I believe I am very close to achieving. I am working hard because cricket is all about dedication and discipline, and I feel I am on the right path,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite his impressive numbers in domestic cricket, the PBKS batter has not managed to break into the national side. Speaking on what might have went wrong, Shashank stated, \u201cMy job is to deliver good performances and assist the team in winning. That has always been my motivation, to lead the team to victory. I cannot concentrate solely on my individual performance and the runs I score in each game, because cricket is a team sport. Ultimately, it matters how many matches I have helped the team win.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cTo be very honest, I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m not a part of the national side yet. I don\u2019t have an answer to that. I think I\u2019m trying to tick all those required boxes at the highest level, at the domestic level, at any level I play cricket, where I learn and improve my game as a player.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shashank highlighted the importance of winning trophies in domestic cricket, adding, \u201cIf you ask me what\u2019s going wrong or the missing link, I think it might be because my state hasn\u2019t won any championships yet. Players from other states have a championship title to their name, whether it\u2019s the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Ranji Trophy, or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; they win matches. I believe that helps them gain recognition at the highest level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy team doesn\u2019t have trophies yet, so there might be a 1% chance that\u2019s the reason. But besides that, I don\u2019t think I lack any attribute needed to represent India at the highest level. I have the qualities that an Indian player must possess, and I hope that dream turns into reality soon.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Even after impressive performances at the IPL for Punjab Kings over the years, Shashank hasn\u2019t found his name in the Indian squad. When asked if that affects him mentally, he said, \u201cObviously, I get disappointed. I think about the reasons and details for a few days and then move on. It\u2019s ultimately up to me how I perceive it, and my job is to perform well and help the team win. All you can do is follow the schedule and train properly, hoping to achieve the end goal. I am following the same process instead of banging my head and wondering why things didn\u2019t fall into place. That\u2019s beyond my control.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When asked how he copes with the pressure and disappointments, the Chattisgarh cricketer added, \u201cIt\u2019s essential to stay strong mentally. Firstly, you should be grateful that you\u2019re playing cricket at a high level in a country where the competition is fierce. That\u2019s always a motivating factor. I\u2019m not the first person to be here, nor will I be the last. Many have rightfully had their chance when they deserved it, and many will have in the future. You must always have belief. I\u2019ll never say that I\u2019ve always been talented. I worked hard to get here, and I believe in myself that I can do it. I always think I\u2019m the best when I step onto the ground, and that always motivates me to keep improving every day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 33-year-old believes that age doesn\u2019t matter if a cricketer\u2019s statistics show their true ability. He feels that selection depends on a player's merit, and that age cannot prevent anyone from reaching greatness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When asked how he copes with the pressure and disappointments, the Chattisgarh cricketer added, \u201cIt\u2019s essential to stay strong mentally. Firstly, you should be grateful that you\u2019re playing cricket at a high level in a country where the competition is fierce. That\u2019s always a motivating factor. I\u2019m not the first person to be here, nor will I be the last. Many have rightfully had their chance when they deserved it, and many will have in the future. You must always have belief. I\u2019ll never say that I\u2019ve always been talented. I worked hard to get here, and I believe in myself that I can do it. I always think I\u2019m the best when I step onto the ground, and that always motivates me to keep improving every day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAge is nothing. People say age is just a number, but for me, it\u2019s irrelevant and doesn\u2019t matter. There are numerous examples of players and athletes continuing to perform beyond a certain age and dominating the sport. If I\u2019m playing fast bowlers who bowl at a pace of 160 and not fearing them and performing well across departments, then I don\u2019t think age will play a role. If you\u2019re putting up stand-out performances and your stats do the talking, then age is literally nothing,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n