Prabhsimran credits Yuvraj, Ponting for his improvement

Prabhsimran Singh was in the middle of a gym session when he got to know about his selection in the India squad for the three T20Is in Zimbabwe later this month.

When PTI reached out to him, the 25-year-old from Patiala could not express in words how much the national call up meant to him.

Recalling the moment, he said he cut short his gym session and rushed home to share his unbridled joy with his family.

The prolific Punjab Kings opener was hoping to get that special piece of news having scored 500-plus runs in the last two IPL seasons. His recent outing for India A in Sri Lanka also fuelled that hope.

Prabhsimran was part of India’s Asian Games in 2023 but did not get to play. If he gets to play in Harare, the soft-spoken batter knows he will have to make it count considering the intense competition in the shortest format.

He has been picked as the second wicket-keeper batter in the side after Ishan Kishan with Sanju Samson surprisingly left out of the squad.

“You do feel good when something you are working towards all your life happens. The Asian Games experience back then was good but I didn’t get to play, so I can’t really talk about the nerves that you usually feel when you debut for India,” Prabhsimran told PTI in an interview.

“Now in my heart, if I am going there (to Zimbabwe), I don’t want to come back (without playing). I have always thought that I have to represent the country but, I have to sustain there too. That is the only thing in my mind. If I get a chance, I will do my best so that I don’t go out of the team.”

What has stood out for Prabhsimran over the past year is his consistency. The 20s and 30s now often get converted into substantial scores, a testament to that are his six fifty plus scores in the latest IPL. He and Priyansh Arya have developed into one of the most destructive opening pairs in the IPL.

For someone who has played age group cricket alongside Punjab teammates Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, Prabhsimran doesn’t have to look beyond them for added motivation.

Abhishek and Prabhsimran have the same mentor in World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.

“I have not had a session with Yuvi paaji post the IPL but I did call him after the India selection. It was a long phone call. He shared his experience of playing at the highest level. He always tells me to stay one step ahead of the bowler,” said Prabhsimran.

What about the contribution from PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting, the other cricketing great in his life? “Both are different personalities but have the same mentality. Ricky sir has contributed a lot to my success. He was the one who called and told me about my retention (in 2024). He told me that he will make me a better player and he did.

“When you see the results, you want to keep learning from him. I am thankful to both Yuvi paaji and Ricky sir,” said Prabhsimran, who duly acknowledges the immense role IPL and his franchise PBKS have played in his growth.

“It was my eighth season with the franchise and I am glad that I have got the India call-up with them.” Not only has Prabhsimran become a lot more consistent in the high-risk T20 format, he can also bat in different gears relying on conventional strokeplay.

Asked what he has done to evolve in the ever changing T20 game, he said: “In today’s world, you have to play high risk cricket. It used to be difficult to chase 160-170. Now even if a team gets 220-240, it doesn’t feel safe. You have to play high risk cricket and yet be consistent. That is what I focus on.

“Also, whenever I get free time, I don’t go out much. It is important to switch off from cricket but I can only do that for one or two days. I love to bat long even in training.

“If I get to play with 7-8 bowlers in the nets, I like each of them to bowl at least 10 overs to me. If you want to stay relevant, you have to add something new every year.”