Overview
- Shashank confirmed on Monday that he secured a No Objection Certificate from the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh and will join the Cricket Association of Pondicherry as a guest player for the 2026–27 domestic season.
- The 34-year-old alleges CSCS did not support him during recovery from a shoulder injury and a fractured finger and that he was later omitted from the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League roster and the squad for a Bengaluru pre-season camp without explanation.
- He has announced a white-ball–only plan for the coming season and said he will pause red-ball cricket to manage workload and focus on bowling his full four overs in T20s for Pondicherry and Punjab Kings.
- Shashank was the BCCI’s Lala Amarnath Award winner for best domestic white-ball all‑rounder in 2023–24 and was a key contributor to Punjab Kings’ run to the IPL 2025 final, but he had a quieter IPL 2026 and his retention by the franchise remains unresolved in coverage.
- The move highlights how smaller associations like Pondicherry use guest signings to boost squads and shows that the NOC process gives senior players a clear route to change state affiliation when relations with a board break down.