‘This season is showing more maturity’: PBKS coach’s big praise for Prabhasimran Singh

Punjab Kings opener Prabhasimran Singh is showing “more maturity” in this IPL season and repaying the trust shown by the team management, his spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi believes. Starting carefully, the experienced Punjab batsman exploded 49 balls in the top-score with 49-heads in the latter of his innings, directed him until 201 for four against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on Saturday. Prabhasimran, who was at 34 runs off 32 balls in a phase, fasted brilliantly to score 49 runs in his next 17 delivery.

“I think it’s all about confidence. In the pre-season, how much he adds to his batting is very important. Of course, (head coach) positive atmosphere with Ricky (Ponting) and batting coaching staff has really done well,” Joshi washed his match at 7/0 with KKR.

Prabasimran, who is part of the side since the beginning of his IPL in 2019, was among the players built by PBK before the mega auction.

“He is also performing continuously in the white-centen format. Last year, he shows continuity and number that shows it. But this year, he has become more mature. He was also part of an emerging team. So, that confidence also added him,” Joshi said.

While Prabhasimran discovered his touch again, Youngster Priyash Arya continued to impress, the pair stained a commanding 120-run stand for the initial wicket, hitting a 35 balls as 69.

Arya, who made headlines against Chennai Super Kings with a century, has been one of the biggest discovery of PBKS this season, playing the initial invasive in recreational partnership.

Joshi said, “He is a exciting player. Prabhasimran is an experienced pracharak. He is more experienced. He has successfully come up with good plans for today. Therefore, it is a long way for both of them,” Joshi said.

The opening of the openers’ strategy and then to shift the gear aggressively, combined with clear communication, was important, Joshi said.

“I think the credit should be given to both of them, he batted according to the position of the pitch, scored calculated runs and had very positive attitudes.

“Of course, at this stage, it is a very simple important word – the position, position, pitch position, how it behaves and accordingly you can plan your shots. Therefore, it was a good communication from the coaching staff,” he said.

“Communication from captain and coach, head coach and coaching staff is also very clear. So we invest in players.” The way PBKS openers dealt with the spin pair of Sunil Narin’s KKR and Varun Chakraborty was a standout feature.

Taking the risks calculated, they managed to dominate without losing the wickets, as PBKs scored 72 runs between 10 and 15 overs.

“I think it is a learning state for batsmen to assess bowlers in front of them. And it is always difficult when you are defending or when you are bowling first.

“So, of course, your game plan and your dynamics changes when you are bowling first and when you are bowling in another place and our batsmen are adapted to the situation very well,” Joshi said.

On the washout, Joshi said, “I think we cannot go against nature. We have to accept it. If the game was there, it would have been a good competition.

“There was an opportunity for two digits, but yes, we have to accept that we found one. We missed one.” Meanwhile, KKR’s young Pesar Vaibhav Arora, who has impressed with the new ball this season, said the team was satisfied with the points of sharing.

“Unfortunately not the match, it cannot say whether we are happy or unhappy. But it is better to compromise for a point compared to nothing.

KKR has struggled with its batting this season and now find himself at the bottom half of the table, the playoffs need to win all the remaining five matches to be in a dispute.

“Bowling we are doing well, but the batting has not clicked. We will try to improve the next matches,” Arora said.

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