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Uncapped Indian pacer Yash Thakur spoke on the "surreal" feeling he experienced on earning his first-ever India call-up for the T20I tour to Zimbabwe, saying that being able to climb and overcome each step of his career has made him feel happy and wearing the Indian colours feels like all the hard work has paid off.
The Vidarbha and Punjab Kings (PBKS) pacer earned a maiden call-up to the national side alongside Rajasthan and Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer Ashok Sharma for the tour of Zimbabwe. While Ashok had a wicketless spell of 0/29 in four overs in the first T20I, Yash is yet to make his debut for Team India. Prior to appearing for PBKS in IPL 2026, he made a name for himself with some fantastic performances in the domestic circuit, emerging as Vidarbha's top wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy competitions. Speaking to JioStar about being picked for Team India and how he came to know about it, he said that he got to know of his call-up when he landed in Nagpur with spinner Harsh Dubey, through his phone buzzing with calls and messages from friends. "Harsh Dubey (his Vidarbha teammate) and I had just landed in Nagpur. As I was collecting my luggage and heading out, my phone started buzzing with messages, and I got a call from my friends. They told me, 'You got selected!' and congratulated me. I did not know anything about it at that moment, so I checked online and realised I had been selected for the Zimbabwe tour. It was a surreal feeling," he said. "I have progressed step by step, from Under-19 cricket, through the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, IPL, India A, and now into the Indian team. Each level brought its own challenges, and I worked hard to clear every hurdle. Climbing every single step makes me feel very happy. I can't quite express the feeling right now, because playing for the country is everyone's dream when they start playing cricket. To finally be here, wearing the India jersey, feels like all the hard work has paid off," he added. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) T20 competition last year, Yash was the third-highest wicket-taker overall with 18 scalps in seven matches at an average of 9.88, including a four-fer and a five-wicket haul to his name. His best figures were 5/16. However, his side did not make it past the group stage. During the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) tournament later last year, his side turned the tide with a maiden title win, and the pacer was sensational in his team's run to the title, taking 19 wickets in nine matches at an average of 25.57, with two four-fers and best figures of 4/50. The 27-year-old captured his best figures in the title clash against Saurashtra. On his bonding with Indian T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer, whom he knows as a part of the PBKS set-up, Yash said that Shreyas knows his strengths and efficiency really well, and they both spent time, discussing game plans during the IPL this year. He also said that continuing with him as a captain in Indian colours will help in developing a great bonding. "Captain Shreyas Iyer knows my strengths well. He understands which phases of the game I am most effective in, whether it's the powerplay, the middle overs, or the death. He knows where I can contribute the most to help the team win," he said. "That mutual understanding developed during the IPL when I spent time with him and discussed plans. I feel very fortunate because I have played under Shreyas bhai in the IPL, and now I will be playing under his captaincy in the Indian team as well. That continuity helps build a great bond. When your captain trusts your abilities, it gives you a lot of confidence on the field," he added. Yash described Shreyas's captaincy style as "calm", pointing as he does not lose his composure when things are not working. "In my view, he is extremely calm. Whether we are giving away runs, bowling well, or having an off day with the ball, he never loses his composure. He stays calm even in high-pressure situations," he said. "He always comes directly to the bowlers and asks, 'What is your plan? What do you think is the best option here?' He does not impose his ideas. He listens first and then gives his input. That makes a huge difference. I would describe him as a bowler's captain, he trusts his bowlers completely and gives them the freedom to execute their plans," he signed off. (ANI)
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