Prashant revealed that the CSK legend’s early counsel was refreshingly practical. “Right now, we haven’t spoken much about cricket. He told me to save my money and not spend it unnecessarily,” he said with a smile after the inauguration of the 12th Pavit Singh Nayar Memorial All India inter-college T20 tournament at the Guru Nanak College on Monday.
The 20-year-old all-rounder was clear about one thing when it comes to his batting role. “I can bat in any situation. Just as long as I don’t have to open, I will do it anywhere else,” he quipped.
For Prashant, the initial days in the camp have been about soaking in the environment and learning from those around him. “The environment is very good, and everyone is very supportive. It feels good to mingle with them and play together. It’s a great feeling for me, my family, and my village (Sahajipur, UP). I’m really blessed to be here.”
The transition into the IPL ecosystem has been an eye-opener as well. “It’s my first IPL, so I have never had practice sessions like this before. The environment and the intensity here are different, so it takes a little time to get used to it,” he said.
The left-arm spin all-rounder also acknowledged the challenge of comparisons with Ravindra Jadeja but insisted he was focused only on his own game. “First of all, I have to do what I know — what I have practised and what brought me here. If I think I have to take his place, there will be a lot of pressure because what he has done for the franchise or the Indian team is not easy to do. Right now, I’m just focusing on my game,” he said.
Prashant credited a consistent domestic season for his rise. “You cannot say one particular tournament decides your career. Throughout the domestic season of five or six months, you have to perform. This season, I was the Player of the Tournament in the Under-23 competition (BCCI men’s U-23 State-A One-Day Trophy) and the Emerging Player in the UPT20. The turning point, according to me, was that I shuttled between Mumbai and Kolkata to play both the State-A Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.”
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Wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma (19), meanwhile, said his main focus was to imbibe from Dhoni his finishing ability and tactical understanding. “I want to learn how to finish games and good game planning,” he said.
He, too, was impressed by the facilities and intensity of the CSK camp. “The training setup was very good. I haven’t had such practice before this — great ground (CSK High Performance Centre) and very good wickets.”
Left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh highlighted that he had a lot of beneficial conversations with bowling consultant Eric Simmons last season. Dhoni’s advice, he added, often comes down to reading the batter’s mind. “He said if you have a good slower ball or yorker, you have to build on that strength. And to think at the last moment what the batter is expecting and bowl accordingly.”
Published on Mar 16, 2026
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