‘Trust your skills and process’: Yash Thakur recalls Gambhir’s advice after India call-up

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) India fast bowler Yash Thakur has revealed that the advice he received from head coach Gautam Gambhir during their time together at Lucknow Super Giants continues to guide him as he begins his international journey, while also recalling the emotional moment he learnt of his maiden national team selection for the ongoing T20I tour of Zimbabwe.

Thakur, who has climbed through the ranks from age-group cricket to domestic competitions, the IPL and India A before earning his first India call-up, said Gambhir had encouraged him to stay true to the strengths that had brought him success rather than trying to reinvent himself at higher levels.

“When I was with Lucknow Super Giants and met Gambhir bhai, I had great interactions with him from day one. He told me back then, ‘You have done well in domestic cricket. You know how to pick up wickets, and you know how to win games, so never change that mindset. The level of cricket will keep changing, from domestic to IPL to international, but don’t change yourself or your core strengths. Stick to what got you here. Trust your skills and your process,’” Thakur told JioStar.

The right-arm seamer said those words have remained a constant source of confidence whenever he has encountered pressure.

“I still follow that advice to this day. Whenever I feel pressure, I remind myself of his words. It has helped me stay grounded and focused on my game,” he added.

Thakur also shared how he unexpectedly discovered he had been selected for India’s tour of Zimbabwe after landing in Nagpur alongside fellow cricketer Harsh Dubey.

“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. It was a surreal feeling,” Thakur recalled.

Reflecting on the journey that culminated in his maiden India cap, Thakur said every stage of his career had prepared him for the opportunity, and admitted that representing India remains difficult to put into words, describing it as the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.

“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 stated.

–IANS

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