New Delhi: Influence of Yuvraj Singh The current generation of India batsmen is rarely loud, but often unmistakable. His imprint runs through some of the most exciting batsmen of the modern era. Indian cricket – From Shubman Gill’s composure to Abhishek Sharma’s uninhibited stroke play and his evolving assurance. Sanju Samson. In many ways, Yuvraj has slipped into a role that Indian cricket does not officially appreciate. Part mentor, part sounding board, part big brother. Players move in and out of its orbit, sometimes for a session, sometimes for a stage in their career, carrying small but telling adjustments with them. Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!It is into this quietly impressive ecosystem that Prabhasmaran Singh has now ventured. Long regarded as a talent waiting to fully emerge, the Punjab Kings wicketkeeper-batsman now finds himself closer to the limelight, and, perhaps, closer to the ultimate prize he speaks of with increasing conviction: a place in the senior Indian team. “My relationship with Yuvi Paaji is actually not like a coach or a student… I have a big brother relationship with him,” Prabhasmaran said during an interaction organized by Punjab Kings on Thursday. “And yes, Priyansh (Arya) and I trained under him recently. It was Priyansh’s first practice with him.” “Whenever I get some free time, I call him and say, ‘Paaji, we are free now and want to practice with you,’ and he arranges it. Be it Mohali or Gurgaon, he takes care of everything himself. “With him, it’s like if we have to call him at 3 or 4 in the night, we can; that’s the kind of freedom he’s given us. So, like I said, it’s a big brother relationship. We talk a lot and can share anything with him without any hesitation,” the 25-year-old added. For a player like Prabhasmaran, who has long been seen as a talent-in-waiting, that ease seems to have become evident. Not necessarily in neat technical overhauls, but in fine tuning. “He gives me tips, and it’s mostly about how I’m playing at a particular time. What I should do with my technique. And, most importantly, he talks about the mental side of the game and what kind of mindset we should have during different situations – be it in the match or off the field,” he said. This is reflected in the change in Prabhasmaran’s batting narrative these days. “Earlier, I used to get out in the 30s or 40s… now I want to play long innings. And basically, as we also talk in the team meeting, it doesn’t matter to us whether we go for the orange cap or the purple cap… the aim is to make enough impact so that you can win the match for your team,” he said. This philosophy is clean with modernity. IPL ecosystem, where the pace has accelerated and margins have shrunk. “The game has become much faster now. Earlier targets of 180 or 170 were defended. This happens even today. But if you look at the average score required, it has gone to 200 plus,” he said. “To score 200 plus, I think you have to play with an attacking style right from the power play. You also get clarity from the team, coach and captain to step out and play freely. If you want to kill, you have to go for it. Cricket has definitely become faster, so scoring 250 runs is not that difficult anymore. If the evolution of batting mirrors the demands of the league, its wicketkeeping has more nostalgia. Like many of his generation, Prabhasmaran grew up watching MS Dhoni. Not just a finisher, but a gloveman. He said that I used to see Mahi Bhai keeping the wicket. As everyone knows they have very fast hands. So I don’t imitate anyone in batting but I try to imitate Mahi Bhai in wicket keeping. Then there is the final, unspoken layer of it all. India’s dream, not far away but not yet fulfilled. His recent stint with India A has intensified that sense of closeness. “When you come into the India A setup, you feel that your main goal is to play for the senior Indian team, represent the country well, and play for a long time. You feel like, ‘Yes, I am now in India A, and if I do well, maybe I will get a chance to play for the senior team soon.’ So that you have that confidence, knowing that the ultimate goal of playing for the senior India team is not far away,” said Prabhasmaran.
