In his transition from opening to batting at No. 3, Punjab Kings’ Prabsimran Singh is embracing new challenges with clarity from the team. On the back of a stellar domestic season, the 23-year-old aims to break into the top 5 run-getters tally season. Even though converting his starts remains a priority, Singh hopes to help PBKS break their playoff jinx and make the final after years.
News18 Cricketnext caught with the young wicketkeeper batter as he talks about the PBKS management backing he has got, his playing philosophy and learning from senior pro Jitesh Sharma and much more.
Excerpts:
Last year in IPL 2023, you played as an opener. This season, it has been at No. 3. How much of a change is that in T20Is for you, or are there any adjustments to be made at all?
Actually, I gained a lot of clarity from the team, so it is not that difficult. But yes, there is a little difference because when you open, you feel that you have six overs in the powerplay, and sometimes [when batting at No.3] it happens that you have only two overs [of powerplay left], then you have to make a little change according to that.
Can you talk a bit more about the clarity from the management?
It is not so much about the clarity in how to play and where to bat, but more about the management backing you and telling you that you will get a decent run at that position, and as a player, you also kind of know that you will not be dropped easily. So, when you get that kind of clarity, then you see how you must perform. Then the only effort as a player you must make is to perform well and make the team win.
Personally, how do you adjust to the change? Last year, due to Jonny Bairstow’s unavailability, you got the opportunity to open, which is not the case this time around.
When you come to know that you will be batting at a specific number, then you practice in the nets accordingly or you do simulation sessions, particularly for situations for that batting position. There are many such things. Then you go through some specific drills and try to implement those things in practice. Then there is not so much pressure on you in the live match.
Last season was your first full season for PBKS, and you were coming off the back of a stellar domestic season. This year too, you were the top run-scorer for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare, and you won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. How much of that confidence do you carry forward to a high-pressure tournament like the IPL?
When you come here after doing well in the domestic circuit, you have confidence that you are going to have a good season. By the time the IPL comes around, as a domestic player, that essentially is your last tournament before the season ends. So, when you carry forward that form, then you feel that you are in good form. You are in a good space and then you think that if I did well there [domestic circuit], I will do well here.
The century against DC was the highlight of your season last year, but Sunil Joshi, one of PBKS’s coaching staff, pointed out your lack of conversion rate. This season also, in the two games so far, you got the starts but got out. Is that something that you would want to improve this season?
Yes, you need to convert your starts, but you also need to be mindful of doing what is best for the team as well during that situation. It is a T20 game, and if I get off to a start, then it is my responsibility to go on a little longer, but as I said sometimes the situation is such that you must play at a certain strike rate to maintain the tempo of the innings. So, you are not always thinking of a specific score for yourself like I should score a 50 or I should score a 100. To be honest, I don’t enjoy playing like that. One needs to understand the requirements of the team at that given point in time. If I go ahead and score a 50 then it is fine, if not, no problem there either. As I said I believe in playing the game like that.
Jitesh Sharma is the first-choice keeper for PBKS, meaning there will be limited chances coming your way behind the stumps. But having a senior pro like him around, is an opportunity to learn for you. What is the dynamic like with Jitesh?
There is no issue as such [with Jitesh being the first-choice keeper]. Sometimes it happens, but as a player, you feel your time will come and you also feel that even the management may feel that down the line it is time to give keeping to Prab. He can do it. My practice is going on smoothly. Jitesh bhai is playing for India right now, so if obviously he is keeping there, and he is doing it here as well, is that a problem for me? No. We both share a good bond. I keep asking a lot of things. When you know that a senior player is playing for India and you have him, then you want to ask him a lot of things and talk to him a lot. We also talk a lot outside of cricket in general. It’s very good for both of us. And the best thing is that whenever any one of us performs, we are very happy for the other.
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It has been long since PBKS made it to the playoffs – 2014 was the last time. What has been the talk in the camp this time around?
What is always on our minds is that the team must qualify for the playoffs. Only two teams play in the final of the tournament And whoever plays better wins. Many times, it happens, and sometimes it does not. But this year it is a little bit different. There is a positive vibe among the group, and we hope to get the work done this year, if not we will try again.
Are you someone who sets personal goals to achieve playing in a tournament like this?
A team-first attitude is very important for me. And yes, to some extent everyone has it [personal goals] in their mind that they must reach a specific number and such. For me, it is that I will try to be among the top five batters in this IPL season.
Two of your Punjab teammates – Abhishek Sharma and Naman Dhir – were part of the historic SRH vs MI game in Hyderabad earlier this week. Were you following the match and how did it feel watching that kind of run-fest?
Well, at the time we were traveling, so we did not see the full match. We used to connect to the phone in between, and we were just talking about the game. When you see a match like this, I just remember that dialogue “Pehle SRH ne Maar Maar Ke Dhaaga Hi Khul Diya, Fir MI Ne Bhi,” I mean it was a great match, and had a lot of fun watching bits and pieces of it. It feels even better when your partners play and perform. Both are good guys and whenever we play domestic cricket we stay together and have a lot of fun. With Abhishek, we have batted together in so many matches, so when I do well, he is very happy and when he does well, I am very happy. Anyone from Punjab does well, we are happy for each other.
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