In Punjab Kings having a runners-up finish in 2025, their uncapped batters shining bright made for a very compelling story. They collectively scored 1,519 runs - the most by uncapped players of any single team in an IPL season. Left-handed opener Priyansh Arya announced himself on the biggest stage by making 475 runs at a strike rate of 179 and was one of only two uncapped centurions of the tournament.

“When you're talking about the youngsters, the best attribute is that they're fearless. Talking about my team Punjab, everyone is fearless – Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer (Khan) and Harnoor (Singh Pannu). So whoever is coming in a young lot, they are very fearless. I mean, they don't think too much because I realise that we overthink at times - even I sometimes also overthink on things.

“But these people don't think much at all and that is the best part. The more calm these people can be or the less they think - I mean, no one is calm here - but the less they think, the better they are. So these people don't think too much,” Shashank told IANS in the ‘JioStar Press Room’ ahead of IPL 2026.

Prabhsimran Singh smashed 549 runs at a strike rate of 160, while Nehal Wadhera played a full IPL season and made 369 runs in 15 innings. After captain Shreyas Iyer, PBKS’s next-best run-getters were Arya, Prabhsimran, Wadhera and Shashank himself.

The Arya-Prabhsimran opening pair, who later played for India ‘A’, amassed 532 runs together in IPL 2025 and will be expected to make big runs in the upcoming season. Yet the question heading into the new season is a familiar one: can the youngsters replicate their great returns from last year? Shashank, for one, has no doubt about it, though he added that the fearless prodigies of PBKS will mature with time.

“For example, Priyansh and Suryansh are batting in nets - if four shots don't get hit and they are beaten, I would start thinking that my shoulder didn't come forward, my foot didn't reach to the ball and what happened? But these people don't think anything - even if they hit five or six balls, it goes well as this is a game of confidence, at least at the IPL level. It's more about confidence - that is how confident you are. So the best part of these people is that they are very confident and very fearless.”

“Obviously, someone like Priyansh or Suryansh or all these people are really at a different level in terms of talent. For example, you and I see them batting every day so I feel that they have so much talent so these people should play. Sometimes I feel that there is a little bit of a lack of maturity part and that too takes time.

“I think and feel that I am a mature cricketer. Sometimes I feel that they might mature as soon as possible, which is good for them. But the best part of these people is that they are very confident and fearless and don't think anything and aren’t over-thinkers. So it feels really good to chill with them,” he elaborated.

On the question of unfinished business from last season - PBKS fell six runs short of winning IPL 2025 - Shashank was emphatic that they will go all the way to the trophy this year. “I know that on May 31st, we will be playing at the Chinnaswamy and lifting the cup. It’s not just a feeling, I know this will happen. It's self belief and team belief.

“Everyone is on the same page. There is confidence in everyone. We will take it match by match because the ultimate aim is to get a trophy. If we keep thinking we reached the final last year, there will be a lot of pressure on us. So our immediate aim is to prepare for our first game against GT, then against CSK and KKR.

“To play the final and win is the ultimate goal. But we have to focus on every match, rectify our mistakes and that will be easier. We are very motivated and excited as we are the same group. We are better prepared than last year,” he said.

For Shashank personally, IPL 2026 is about reclaiming lost ground after a shoulder injury and finger fracture kept him away from a large part of domestic cricket season for his state Chhattisgarh.

“It is more of a mental game than a skill game during the IPL. The past year didn’t go well for me as I had a spate of injuries and I couldn’t play competitive cricket much. My biggest goal is to make an impact for the team.

For Shashank personally, IPL 2026 is about reclaiming lost ground after a shoulder injury and finger fracture kept him away from a large part of domestic cricket season for his state Chhattisgarh.

Catch Punjab Kings' season opener against Gujarat Titans at 7:30 PM, March 31, LIVE and Exclusive on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network