NEW DELHI: The Nagpur airport was buzzing with passengers rushing to collect their luggage and catch their connecting flights. Amid the chaos, Yash ThakurHis cell phone rang with the call he had dreamed of all his life – his first call in India.The 27-year-old fast bowler had just landed in Nagpur when he learned that he had been selected in India’s squad for the T20I series against Zimbabwe. It was the reward for years of hard work in domestic cricket and the IPL. But for Yash, the moment was more than just fulfilling his dream. It was about fulfilling the dream of his late father, Ravi Singh Thakur. Yash’s father died after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest in 2023, a few months before his son’s career began to reach new heights.“Ye papa ka hi dream tha. Aur main unke liye bahut grate hoon kyunki day one se jab tak woh the, he always supported me and dekhna chahte the mujhe India jersey mein. Aaj wo hote to bahot khush hote [It was my father’s dream. I am very grateful to him because from day one, until he was with us, he always supported me. If he were here today, he would have been extremely happy],” Yash told Timesofindia.com.“He has always been my biggest inspiration. He has done a lot for me and my career. I have seen him make countless sacrifices for me. This moment belongs to him and is dedicated to him,” he said.
Meeting with Morne Morkel
A familiar face awaiting Yash on the Indian trail will be Team India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel.The two worked together at Lucknow Super Giants before Yash moved to Punjab Kings, and the pacer says the former South African fast bowler helped him improve both technically and mentally.“When I was at LSG, I learned a lot of technical aspects of fast bowling from Morne Morkel. He has so much international experience. I learned from him the technical side of bowling, how to enhance your strengths, how to trust your skills on different wickets and how to take wickets. We shared a very good bond at LSG, so I’m really excited to meet him again, discuss these things and continue to learn from him,” he said.
Since his List A debut in 2017, Yash has taken nearly 100 wickets in 57 matches, played 74 T20s and featured in 22 IPL matches for Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, claiming 27 wickets, including a five-wicket haul.“He always told me, ‘You have a good cricketing brain, but always think about which deliveries suit your strengths on a particular ground and which balls can help you take wickets’. I made bowling very simple. Before each spell, we would discuss which deliveries would be most effective on that wicket and how I could take wickets,” said Yash.“During my first IPL season in 2023, he helped me a lot in every match I played. Those discussions with him shaped the way I think. My mind is always to take wickets. Pressure situations really excite me because that’s when I want to take wickets and help my team win. Bowling in pressure situations motivates me even more,” he said.
Learn from Shreyas Iyer
Yash is one of three players to receive his first India T20I call-up for the Zimbabwe tour. Wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh and Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma are the other two newcomers.If Yash makes his international debut, he will again play under Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer. Having already spent a season under Iyer in the IPL, Yash believes the Indian captain’s biggest strength is the confidence he gives to his bowlers.
The Vidarbha pacer is now eager to begin his international journey under Iyer’s guidance.“Shreyas is an amazing captain. I learned a lot from him. Yes, he is an aggressive captain and always wants his team to be on top. It has its own unique way of working. I always say he is a captain bowler. First he talks to the bowlers, discusses the plans with them and gives them complete freedom. I played under him in the IPL, and now coming back under his captaincy in the Indian team will help me a lot,” said the 27-year-old.
Ponting’s winning mentality
Yash also spent the IPL under the coach of Punjab Kings Ricky Pontingwhose influence went far beyond tactics.Asked if Ponting is a hard-working master, Yash said it is the Australian legend’s never-give-up attitude and his ability to inspire confidence that makes him different.“The biggest lesson I learned from Ricky, sir, is that no matter what the situation is, you should always think about winning. You should always think about how you can win the game and help the team win. That’s his mindset. No matter what happens or what the situation is, your focus should always be on winning. That winning mentality should never change. winning.I saidYash also recalled a speech from Ponting’s walk that summed up his mind perfectly.Punjab Kings were chasing 265 against Delhi Capitals earlier this IPL season after KL Rahul’s unbeaten 152 took Delhi to 264/2.Many in the dressing room felt that the target was out of reach. Ponting, however, had a different message.“When we got back into the dressing room, Mr. Ricky just said one thing: ‘I don’t care what it is. From the first ball, our mindset has to be that whatever the score is, we’re going to chase it.’ And eventually we chased down the target, won the match and created an IPL record for the highest successful chase in that game,” said Yash.“It’s his mindset. He raised the confidence of every single member of the team. We were so happy after winning that match. It was really memorable,” he added.Yash believes Iyer shares the same fearless approach.“Same goes for Shreyas too. His mindset is exactly the same. Whatever the situation, we have to play to win and make sure we win,” the 27-year-old said.