“Even One Match With Kohli and Sharma…”: Harsh Dubey After Surprise India Call-Up

For most young cricketers, the dream of representing India arrives after years of imagining the moment. For Harsh Dubey, it arrived amid airport noise, flight delays and complete disbelief.

The left-arm spinner has earned his maiden India call-up for both the Test and ODI squads for the upcoming Afghanistan series after a breakthrough period in domestic cricket and an impressive IPL campaign. While many players spend weeks hoping for selection, Dubey admits he had no idea his name was even in contention.

Speaking to JioStar, the youngster revealed that he initially misunderstood the first phone call informing him about his selection.

“We had reached the airport and found out our flight was delayed by an hour. I got a call from someone managing a cricket social media page, asking how I felt about my name being in the ODI series. Because of the noise and network issues in the lounge, I thought he was referring to the Sri Lanka A ODI tri-series, so I said it felt like one step closer to the dream and that my focus was still on the IPL.

“As soon as I hung up, I started getting messages saying I had received both the Test and ODI call-ups. I was confused because the squad had just been announced, so I quickly checked online and saw the news. It honestly took me a few minutes to process what had happened. Even when Murali sir asked me who the other spinners in the squad were, I told him I had only seen my own name. It genuinely felt like I was dreaming.”

Harsh Dubey surprise call-up in two formats

Dubey’s rapid rise has been one of Indian cricket’s more remarkable stories this season. Strong performances in domestic cricket were followed by an IPL campaign that pushed him into the national conversation.

Yet even he did not expect a call-up in both white-ball and red-ball formats.

“To be honest, as soon as my name came up for Sri Lanka A ODI tri-series, I felt I was not really in the scheme of things yet. So, I told myself to focus on the IPL for now and think about the tri-series when the time came. I genuinely had no idea my name could come up, let alone in both formats. So, honestly, I have no words for it.”

The Afghanistan series could provide Dubey with his first opportunity to wear the India cap, but the spinner is refusing to look too far ahead.

The chance to share a dressing room with legends

While the India call-up itself is a dream realised, there is another aspect of the opportunity that clearly excites Dubey.

Like countless young cricketers of his generation, he grew up watching Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma dominate world cricket. The prospect of sharing a dressing room with them is something he describes as a dream come true.

“If you ask any young cricketer who they want to play with right now, the first two names will be Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. I have grown up watching them. Ever since I started understanding cricket, they have been performing for India and dominating world cricket.

“So, getting a chance to play with them is a huge achievement for me. I always wanted to play alongside at least one legend before they retire or whenever their final phase comes. Even if I get to play one match with them, it will be a dream-come-true moment for me.”

Curious to learn from Shubman Gill

Dubey could also find himself playing under one of Indian cricket’s newest leaders in Shubman Gill.

While Gill’s batting has earned widespread praise, Dubey admits he is particularly interested in understanding the India captain’s personality and leadership style from within the dressing room.

“I actually want to see how Shubman Gill is as a person from close quarters because, as an opponent, you can never fully understand what someone is like or how they are as a captain. I enjoy playing under captains who are aggressive and competitive on the field. No matter how calm and composed you are off it, I believe you need that aggression on the ground, and I enjoy playing with people who bring that intensity.”

Harsh Dubey is taking it one game at a time

With India entering a new era and several bowling spots potentially up for grabs, many have already begun discussing Dubey’s long-term future in the national side.

The 22-year-old, however, insists his focus remains firmly on the present rather than future milestones.

“If you ask any cricketer, he will say that he wants to play for India and play for a long time. But instead of thinking too far ahead, I prefer to focus on what is in my hands, one game at a time. If I am playing an IPL game today, my focus is on what I can do better today. If I am playing for India tomorrow, I will focus on what more I can do for my team, rather than thinking about playing for the next 10 years. I don’t want to think too far ahead about playing the 2027 World Cup or winning the WTC for India. I just want to stay in the present and do the best I can with what is in my hands.”

For now, Harsh Dubey’s focus remains simple: stay present, grab every opportunity and learn from some of the biggest names in the game. But after a whirlwind few days that began with a delayed flight and ended with an India call-up, the young spinner’s cricketing dream is only just beginning.