‘I was collecting my Luggage’: Yash Thakur reveals his India Call-Up Moment, Heaps Praises on Shreyas Iyer

Yash Thakur has opened up on the moment he realised that he was selected for India for the Zimbabwe series. The youngster made his debut on Saturday (July 25) and picked up two wickets on his debut.

The right-arm seamer, who earned his maiden India call-up after consistent performances for Vidarbha, impressive outings for India A and a strong IPL campaign with Punjab Kings, revealed that he had no idea he was in contention until his phone began buzzing after landing in Nagpur.

“Harsh Dubey 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 didn’t know anything about it at that moment, so I checked online and realised I had been selected for the Zimbabwe tour,” Thakur said to Jio Star in a chat recently.

“It was a surreal feeling. I’ve 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.

Thakur’s rise has been built on consistency in the domestic circuit and his ability to deliver under pressure in franchise cricket. His performances for Punjab Kings also saw him work closely with captain Shreyas Iyer, a relationship that has now continued at the international level.

Speaking about Iyer’s influence, Thakur praised the India skipper for understanding his strengths and giving bowlers complete freedom to execute their plans.

“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. 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,” Thakur continued.

The pacer also lauded Iyer’s leadership style, describing him as a calm captain who backs his bowlers in pressure situations.

“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 always comes directly to the bowlers and asks, ‘What is your plan? What do you think is the best option here?’ He doesn’t 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 concluded.