"Pre-season camp in Dharamsala helping us," says PBKS Spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India] May 7 (ANI): Following a dominant victory against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at their home ground, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) are gearing up for their next Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 encounter against the Delhi Capitals (DC). Speaking at a pre-match press conference, spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi addressed the team's recent performance, the impact of weather, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding their next fixture, as per a release from PBKS.

Reflecting on their recent win at home, Joshi expressed satisfaction with the team's all-round performance and highlighted the benefits of their pre-tournament preparation in familiar conditions.

The spin-bowling coach said, "Of course, we felt happy about the way we played and the way we bowled. We had two camps here prior to the tournament. That really helped our players to be well equipped with the conditions, and hence, the result was in our favour. It was good," as quoted from a release by PBKS.

He also addressed the impact of having odd points, due to the rain-affected game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and the uncertainty it might cause in the team's qualification for the playoffs.

Joshi maintained a forward-looking perspective and said, "You cannot really go against nature. Whatever was supposed to happen has happened. We cannot go back and look at that game. I think the game in our hand is important. We are focusing on one game at a time. Our entire focus is on playing good cricket by taking one game at a time."

Joshi also spoke highly of veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal's consistent performance and lauded him for having clarity of thought, a skill he credited to his chess career.

"I think Yuzi has been very consistent. If you look at him, he is the highest wicket-taker in the entire history of the IPL for the last 18 years. And he is one such magician who has come back very strong every time. People are raising their eyebrows at him. He is such a hard master. Of course, he is a chess champion. He knows what he is doing," said Joshi.

He further added, "He is such a senior guy. He has been playing for the last 18 years in this IPL. He has bowled across the globe. It is all about handling pressure, which he has done."

Regarding the uncertainty surrounding their next game due to national security concerns in the region, Joshi assured that the team is adhering to the directives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"We are following BCCI's protocols. And whatever the BCCI recommends to us, the team management will act upon it. And we will definitely follow the protocols we receive from them," he affirmed.

Punjab Kings will face Delhi Capitals on Thursday, May 8, at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)