NEW DELHI: The influence of Yuvraj Singh on India’s current generation of batters is rarely loud, but often unmistakable. His imprint runs through some of the most exciting batters in contemporary Indian cricket — from the composure of Shubman Gill to the uninhibited strokeplay of Abhishek Sharma and the evolving assurance of Sanju Samson. In many ways, Yuvraj has slipped into a role Indian cricket doesn’t officially define. Part mentor, part sounding board, part older brother. Players drift in and out of his orbit, sometimes for a session, sometimes for a phase in their careers, carrying back with them small but telling adjustments. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!It is into this quietly influential ecosystem that Prabhsimran Singh has now stepped. Long regarded as a talent waiting to fully arrive, the Punjab Kings wicketkeeper-batter now finds himself closer to clarity, and, perhaps, closer to the ultimate prize he speaks of with growing conviction: a place in the senior Indian team. “My relationship with Yuvi paaji is actually not like that of a coach or student… I have a big brother relationship with him,” Prabhsimran said during an interaction arranged by the Punjab Kings on Thursday. “And yes, Priyansh (Arya) and I trained under him recently. It was Priyansh’s first time practicing with him.” “Whenever I get some free time, I just call him and say, ‘Paaji, we are free right now and want to practice with you,’ and he arranges it. Whether it’s in Mohali or Gurgaon, he manages everything himself. “With him, it’s like even if we have to call him at 3 or 4 in the night, we can; that’s the kind of freedom he has given us. So, as 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 Prabhsimran, long seen as a talent waiting to settle, this ease seems to have translated into clarity. Not necessarily in sweeping technical overhauls, but in subtler calibrations. “He has given me tips, and it is mostly about how I am playing at a particular time. What should I 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 various situations — whether it is in a match or off the field,” he said. It shows in the shift in Prabhsimran’s batting narrative nowadays. “Earlier, I used to get out in the 30s or 40s… now I look to play longer innings. And mainly, as we discuss in team meetings too, it doesn’t matter to us whether we have to go for the Orange Cap or the Purple Cap… the goal is to create enough impact so you can win matches for your team,” he said. That philosophy aligns neatly with the modern IPL ecosystem, where the tempo has quickened and the margins have shrunk. “The game has become so fast now. Earlier, targets of 180 or 170 used to be defended. It happens nowadays too. But if you look at what average score is required, it has moved to 200-plus,” he said. “To score 200-plus, I feel you have to come in and play with an attacking approach right from the Powerplay. You also get clarity from the team, the coach and the captain to go all out and play freely. If you have to hit, then you have to go for it. Cricket has definitely become faster, so scoring 250 is not that difficult anymore.” If the batting evolution mirrors the league’s demands, his wicketkeeping has a more nostalgic anchor. Like many of his generation, Prabhsimran grew up watching MS Dhoni; not just the finisher, but the gloveman. “I used to watch Mahi bhai keep wickets. As everyone knows, he has very fast hands. So I don’t copy anyone in batting, but in wicketkeeping, I try to emulate Mahi bhai,” he said. Then there is the final, unspoken layer to all of this. The India dream, no longer distant but not yet realised. His recent stint with India A has sharpened that sense of proximity. “When you get into the India A setup, you feel that your main goal is to play for the senior Indian team, to represent the country well, and play for a long time. You feel like, ‘Yes, I am in India A now, and if I do well, maybe I will get a chance to play for the senior team soon.’ So that confidence stays inside you, knowing that the ultimate goal of playing for the senior India team is not too far away,” Prabhsimran said.
