Shashank Singh (PBKS): 192 Death Pace SR Earns the Finisher Role Despite -6 SRae
Shashank Singh occupies the finisher slot at #7 in the model's optimal XII. His projected WAR/M of 0.23 is built on batting (0.23 WAR/M) with minimal bowling contribution (0.01 WAR/M). His overall SRae of -6 means he struck 6 points below expected for his phases, producing a batting surplus of -15 runs. The aggregate numbers mask a sharp phase split that defines his value.
Role: Finisher (#7)
The model profiles Singh as a Lower Middle (#6) batter, slotted to finisher at #7 in the XI. His position fit of 1.31 and position justification: elite vs pace in death overs (192 SR vs 159 avg, 192 balls, 34% of role), weak vs spin in middle overs (114 SR vs 129 avg, 178 balls), and above avg vs spin in death overs (168 SR vs 149 avg, 47 balls).
His ball distribution: 0% powerplay, 45% middle overs, 55% death.
Phase-by-Phase Breakdown
| Phase | SR | vs Avg | Balls | Boundaries% | Dots% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid (7-15) | 121 | -24 vs 145 | 338 | 15% | 44% |
| Death (16-20) | 192 | +33 vs 159 | 416 | 25% | 18% |
The death overs are where Singh earns his spot. At 192 SR across 416 balls, he sits 33 points above the league average with only 18% dots. Against pace at the death, 192 SR across 192 balls. Against spin, 168 SR across 47 balls. He handles both types in the final overs.
The middle overs are the problem. At 121 SR across 338 balls, he sits 24 points below the league average with 44% dots. Against spin in the middle, 114 SR across 178 balls. That middle-overs spin weakness is significant. If Singh arrives before over 15, he becomes a scoring liability until the death phase arrives.
Style and Tendencies
In IPL 2025, Singh scored 350 runs in 14 innings at 154 SR, averaging 25. He converted 3 fifties from those innings with a high score of 61. His 57% boundary rate is moderate.
Bowling
Singh provides part-time pace: 192 career bowling balls with a bowling WAR/M of 0.01. He is not expected to bowl meaningful overs.
What This Means for IPL 2026
Singh's value proposition is narrow but real. If he arrives at the crease with 3 to 5 overs remaining, his 192 death-overs hitting generates significant runs. If he arrives earlier and faces middle-overs spin, the 114 SR drags the innings. PBKS' batting order is structured to protect him from that scenario: Iyer at #4, Wadhera at #5, and Stoinis at #6 are all designed to absorb the middle overs so Singh can focus on the death. His xImpact of 48 reflects a specialist finisher doing exactly what he is built for.