'Prabhsimran always had talent; maturity has changed'

'He started thinking and respecting the bowlers also. That has helped him a lot… staying calm in different situations.'

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Punjab Kings spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi feels Prabhsimran Singh always had the talent but the maturity gained over the years is finally helping him play to his potential.

The 22-year-old Prabhsimran, who was picked by Punjab Kings for Rs 4.8 crore at the IPL auction four years ago, finally lived up to the expectations as he displayed great resolve to hit a match-winning 65-ball 103 against Delhi Capitals on Saturday night.

"I think the talent was always there with him; the maturity has changed. He started thinking about the game. He started thinking and respecting the bowlers also. That has helped him a lot… staying calm in different situations," said Joshi, at the post-match press conference.

"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."

Prabhsimran is only the seventh uncapped player in IPL history to score a hundred.

"If you go back 12 months or less than a year, he has performed in Vijay Hazare, Syed Mushtaq Ali (tournaments)," added Joshi.

"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."

That's not acceptable from an IPL team: Hopes on DC's collapse

Chasing 168 for victory, Delhi were going strong at 60 without loss but Harpreet Brar (4/30) and Rahul Chahar (2/16) spun a web of spin and the hosts crumbled to 88 for 6 in 10.1 overs, losing six wickets for just 19 runs.

"I think the whole second-half of that game was pretty disappointing," Delhi Capitals' bowling coach James Hopes said after Delhi were knocked out of the play-offs race following a 31-run defeat.

"We got off to a real good start. Normally that's game over and we've managed to lose our way again by losing a big clump of wickets, which we've done in numerous times in this tournament," he said.

"And, to be honest, what happened tonight, yeah, I know (Rahul) Chahar spun a little bit, but that's not really acceptable from an IPL team to get yourself that far in front of the game and not even manage to get close. We didn't even get close."

Delhi’s Indian players have cut a sorry figure this season.

"Throughout the tournament we haven't had a young player who's come out and play an innings of the substance that was played tonight. Yeah, we probably expected a little more from some of our guys and it just hasn't panned out that way.

"It's a tough league and sometimes when you're trying to find the right combination for a win, these guys can push a little bit too hard. They want to impress so much. It just hasn't panned out.

"And, yeah, I feel sad. I feel sad for them. But we do have two games to go and we've got some good young players and possibly it is an opportunity to give them an opportunity."

• IPL 2023