IPL 2023: Talent Was Always There With Prabhsimran, Got Better Only With Maturity, Reckons Sunil Joshi

Punjab Kings' spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi heaped praise on young opener Prabhsimran Singh for his rollicking 103 setting up a 31-run win over Delhi Capitals, saying the talent was always there in the youngster and just that maturity in him has become better.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday was witness to a one-man show from Prabhsimran, where he scored 103 off 65 balls, including ten fours and six sixes, in Punjab's competitive total of 167 on a slow and gripping pitch, where none of his teammates went past 20 with the bat.

"I think the talent was always there with him (Prabhsimran), it's only the maturity that gets better. He started thinking about the game. Started thinking and respecting the bowlers also. That has helped him a lot."

"He is now staying calm in different situations. He got a lot of starts but he could not convert them. It's just the beginning. He is a young kid, lot of talent, he will get a lot of opportunities," said Joshi in the post-match press conference.

Prabhsimran has been with the Punjab side since 2018, but it is in IPL 2023 that the investment in him is starting to reap rewards. Prior to IPL 2023, Prabhsimran had an excellent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, making 320 runs, including four fifty-plus scores, at a strike rate of 141.59.

In the 2022/23 Ranji Trophy season, Prabhsimran amassed 571 runs at an average of 63.37, including two centuries. Saturday's knock, where he became the fifth centurion of IPL 2023, has taken his tournament tally to 334 runs at an average of 27.83 and strike rate of 153.92.

"We have backed him from game one. We are all very happy that he has done well. This is just the beginning. He does a lot of practice and has a good work ethic. It was due and he himself is happy that it has come at the right time."

"If you go back 12 months or less than a year he has performed in Vijay Hazare, Syed Mushtaq Ali (Trophy). He has done well in Ranji Trophy, so all that form has given him a lot of exposure and being in the nets with the different coaches, different players, different international players, that has really revolved around and he has got better," added Joshi.

Also Read: IPL 2023 Points Table

Both Punjab Kings, in sixth place in the points table, and Delhi Capitals, out of the reckoning for the playoffs, will face off against each other in the reverse encounter at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on May 17.