‘Arey Shedge, kya batting kiya!’ Suryansh reveals Rohit’s compliment:PBKS star hopeful of ‘strong performance’

Apart from being one of the best white-ball cricketers and a legend of the game, Rohit Sharma also stands as an inspiration for many across the globe. And Punjab Kings’ youngster Suryansh Shedge revealed how he was motivated by a simple compliment from the Hitman earlier in his career. A talented young all-rounder in domestic cricket, Shedge made his IPL debut in 2025 and, not many days ago, struck his maiden fifty in the tournament. In a media roundtable involving Bhaskar English, Shedge shed light on his team’s recent struggles, advice from Ricky Ponting and their upcoming opposition in the Delhi Capitals. Suryansh Shedge reveals Rohit Sharma’s compliment While adding that he has learnt a lot from Rohit from his discussions with him, Shedge went on to reveal a simple compliment he received from the Hitman when the two had crossed paths at the Wankhede Stadium. Shedge was part of the Mumbai team, which had won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in the 2024-25 season. “Have spoken to Rohit bhai a lot, even in the past. I have learnt a lot from him. When you are in the presence of greats, you can learn a lot of things, even in a five-minute conversation. Because you are a good listener there, automatically,” he said in the media interaction. The PBKS youngster added, “Rohit bhai is always positive. I remember when we won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he had come to Wankhede for a match simulation. He was coming to bat, and I was marking my run-up. He said, “Arey Shedge kya batting kiya re,” in Marathi. And he said that humlog sab dekh rahe they. That gave me a lot of motivation.” ‘Ricky Ponting asked if I was frustrated, I said yes’ A talented all-rounder in his own right, Shedge warmed the bench for seven matches before he could get an opportunity. While a team is winning, it might be difficult for the management to tamper with a winning combination. At the same time, it can be frustrating for a youngster to sit on the sidelines and not be part of the action. Also Read: Rashid’s 4-wicket haul propels GT to 77-run win vs RR Shedge went on to speak about an interaction with head coach Ricky Ponting after a net session this season. “After the fourth or fifth game, after the net session, he took me aside. He asked me if I’m frustrated. I said no at first. He said, be honest. So I said, yes, sir,” he said. Elaborating on the advice he received from the Aussie great, Shedge further shared, “So he said, I can totally understand how you’re feeling. He said that four or five players from our franchise can walk into any other franchise and play in the playing 11. But right now, it’s easy to get bogged down and start thinking negatively.” But it’s harder to stay in the present and keep focusing on your preparation so that if and when you get a chance, you’re turned on and you’re ready to give it your all. So I think that talk helped me a lot. And I was really honoured to have him talk to me. It was a heart-to-heart talk,” the PBKS star added. Shedge did make his opportunity count thereafter. After being included against the Gujarat Titans, Shedge came to his side’s rescue with a sensational 57-run knock off 29 balls that bailed the team out of trouble. Are Punjab Kings over-dependent on Yuzvendra Chahal? A worrying fact has emerged in the performance of the Punjab Kings’ bowling contingent this season, despite the team doing relatively well. Yuzvendra Chahal, the highest wicket-taker in IPL history, has been the only wicket-taking spinner for the franchise this year. When asked if the bowling was overdependent on Chahal, Shedge said that it was not the case. “He’s (Chahal) been playing IPL for the last 10-15 years, and he’s done well every year. So, I wouldn’t say we’re over-dependent on him, but he’s one of the best spinners in the league and in India. “So, I mean, he’ll be preferred, obviously. Secondly, when it comes to our bowling, I think we have done well. Last match, we just dropped a few catches,” he added. Also Read: IPL ticket black-marketing gang busted in Delhi On Punjab Kings’ wobbly middle-order, Shedge said, “If you see the whole season, everyone has done well. Everyone has chipped in. You can’t expect all the batters to click in one game. That’s not how cricket works. So, I wouldn’t say middle order is struggling. I would just say a strong performance is just around the corner,” he added. (12:30-12:51) On Punjab Kings’ dropped catches After a winning start to their IPL 2026 campaign, the wheels have seemed to fall off the Punjab Kings’ charge this season. Although they remain firmly in contention for a spot in the playoffs, the Punjab Kings have had a hat-trick of losses and a big feature of their performance has been dropped catches. “I think it’s not just us that are doing blunders. That can happen to any franchisee and that has happened in the past. So I don’t think we should be paying attention to that. Because when we were winning games, and we were grabbing all the chances, we were the same players, right? We were the same team. So that tells you that it’s a temporary thing and we’ll get out of it,” Shedge explained. PBKS aim for league double over Delhi Capitals Punjab Kings, earlier this season, pulled off a stunning win over the Delhi Capitals (DC), where they hunted down a mammoth 265-run target, the highest ever chase in T20 cricket history. And now, after a hat-trick of losses, PBKS go up against DC in their next match in a bid to bounce back to form. When asked if facing DC was the best opportunity for PBKS to bounce back in their campaign, Shedge said, “I think after three losses, I wouldn’t say we’re looking at how Delhi is playing. The focus has always been on how we are playing and how we want to play, no matter who the opposition is.” “Anything can happen. We just have to be our best versions on that given day, and we need to back each other and know that we can win from any situation,” the youngster added.