'If clearing the ground is your strength, half the battle is won,’ says Rayudu on Shedge’s breakout knock

Ahmedabad, May 4 Former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes young Punjab Kings all-rounder Suryansh Shedge’s fearless strokeplay and confidence in clearing the boundary mark him out as a promising finisher, following his explosive knock for his side against Gujarat Titans in their recently concluded IPL 2026 clash.

Shedge, who came into the tournament with a strong reputation after his breakthrough showing for Mumbai in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, had largely been on the sidelines before this game. Featuring in only his second outing of the season, he seized the opportunity with a counter-attacking 57 off 29 balls that briefly revived Punjab’s innings.

“Just his confidence in terms of playing those big shots. If you remember, he has won a final. He played a match-winning knock for his team in the Mushtaq Ali final. From then on, being picked in the IPL, being in the IPL and also playing an innings like that," Rayudu told ESPNcricinfo.

Walking in at No. 6 with his side struggling at 36/4 in the seventh over, Shedge found himself under immediate pressure. The situation worsened when captain Shreyas Iyer fell soon after, leaving Punjab reeling at 47/5. However, the youngster responded with composure and intent, stitching together a 79-run partnership with Marcus Stoinis that shifted momentum.

Rayudu acknowledged that while the innings had its share of assistance from loose bowling, Shedge’s approach stood out.

“He was helped by Suthar definitely in that over - there were a lot of loose balls. But, yeah, he hung in there. He looked like someone who could clear the ground easily. As an Indian player coming into the IPL, if that is your strength, then half the battle is already won. After that, it's just game awareness that you need to get in,” he added.

Shedge's assault peaked in the 14th over when he took apart Manav Suthar, collecting multiple boundaries and sixes to inject momentum into the innings. Overall, he struck three fours and five sixes, outscoring Stoinis during their stand and showcasing his ability to dominate spin.

However, his promising knock ended at a crucial juncture. Attempting to force the pace against Kagiso Rabada in the 16th over, Shedge edged behind, leaving Punjab short of a stronger finish. They eventually posted 163/9, a total that proved slightly below par despite their late surge.

--IANS

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor