EXCLUSIVE | ‘Don’t Change Yourself’: How Gambhir’s Blueprint and a Late Father’s Dream Fueled Yash Thakur’s India Call-Up
The luggage carousel at Nagpur International Airport is an unlikely backdrop for a life-altering moment. Yet, for 27-year-old Vidarbha fast bowler Yash Thakur, that mundane wait for baggage upon returning from India A’s tour of Sri Lanka transformed into the pinnacle of his cricketing journey.
Thakur and his Vidarbha teammate Harsh Dubey – who also earned his India call up recently following his performances for Vidarbha and Sunrisers Hyderabad – had just landed when the news broke. Thakur’s phone buzzed, delivering the call he had chased for nearly a decade: a spot in the Indian senior squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe.
“I actually just sat down there for a couple of seconds to process what had just happened so quickly,” Thakur recalls in an exclusive interview with Revsportz, the disbelief still fresh. “The dream that everyone has, that was my dream too, and seeing it come so close – it took a little time for it to sink in.”
When India take the field in Harare on July 23, Thakur will not be stepping out as a starry-eyed novice. He represents the very essence of the Indian domestic grind – a tireless workhorse who has bent his back on flat decks, conquered the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, and Vijay Hazare Trophy, and emerged as a vital cog in the BCCI’s Targeted Fast-Bowlers List.
With nearly 100 List A wickets since his 2017 debut, 74 T20 appearances, and 22 IPL games under his belt, his selection shatters the contemporary myth that a national cap is solely born under the blinding lights of franchise cricket.
“I am continuously playing domestic cricket. And from that alone, I earned an India A call-up last year, and I was picked for India A this year as well,” Thakur explains. “Because I am consistently playing domestic cricket and we are winning trophies for Vidarbha, that also plays a massive role in the whole journey. When we perform in domestic cricket and win trophies as a team, it helps us grow as cricketers and boosts our chances for personal selection.”
Thakur’s athletic roots trace back not to the 22 yards, but to the combat mats. Influenced by his father, Ravisingh Thakur – a former state-level judoka who dabbled in karate and cricket – Yash initially channeled his raw energy into Wushu. He even clinched a state-level silver medal after three years in the sport.
However, martial arts is an unforgiving arena. Her mother’s concern steered him away from combat sports and toward the Praveen Hinganikar Cricket Academy, located close to their home.
It was a shift that his father wholeheartedly embraced and nurtured. Despite the financial constraints, typical of a mid-level business family, Ravisingh backed his son’s ambition unreservedly. After climbing the ranks – overcoming years where he warmed the bench for the U-16s and U-19s before finally meeting his inspiration, Umesh Yadav – Yash cemented his place in the Vidarbha setup.
“He never said no to me; he always listened to every single thing I said and agreed,” Thakur reminisces about his father. “He supported me properly all the way from Under-13 until now… He used to watch every single match of mine, taking me to practice and bringing me back when I was young – he did all of that.”
Tragically, the man who laid the foundation for this Zimbabwe-bound flight is not here to see it take off. Ravisingh Thakur suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in 2023, leaving a void that could never be filled.
For Yash, the grief has evolved into an unbreakable driving force. Every yorker nailed, every stump sent cartwheeling, is a silent tribute to the man who believed before anyone else did.
“Definitely, it is all for him and my family” Thakur says, his voice heavy with emotion. “Even now, whenever I step onto the ground to play matches, whether it’s a domestic match, IPL, or India A, my first thought is always that whatever I am doing right now, I am doing it for my father. Because yes, it was his dream to see me achieve the success he always wanted for me.”
When the news of the India selection broke, the Thakur household was swept by a tidal wave of bittersweet joy. “My family’s reaction was wonderful because it was my father’s dream,” he recalls. “Seeing it finally come true, my mother got a bit emotional. But everyone was thrilled… the news came as a sudden surprise for everyone.”
While the domestic circuit hardened him, the IPL refined him. Snapped up by the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2023 auction, Thakur spent crucial seasons rubbing shoulders with the world’s elite, picking up 24 wickets in his first 19 games. It was here that he crossed paths with former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and current Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel – two men who will now guide him in the national setup. Now, he plays for the Punjab Kings.
Gambhir’s advice to the young pacer was characteristically blunt and profoundly effective during their first meeting at the LSG camp.
“He made one thing very clear to me on the very first day,” Thakur says. “He said, ‘You have been selected for the IPL just because you know what you do well, you know what you did to get here, and you have won matches. You know perfectly well how to win them. So don’t change yourself; you just need to keep nurturing your skills according to the situation, but don’t change your core strength.’ It was superb advice from him.”
At 27, Thakur is in the prime of his fast-bowling life. He knows the scent of domestic titles, he understands the pressure of the IPL death overs, and he carries the undeniable weight of a father’s unfulfilled dream.
For the fans who haven’t witnessed his tireless spells in the Ranji Trophy, Thakur offers a simple, unwavering guarantee ahead of the three T20Is in Harare on July 23, 25, and 26: “They can expect that no matter what happens, whatever the situation is, keep your belief in Yash Thakur, he will win it for India,” he declares with quiet confidence. “That is the belief I have in myself, and I expect the same from everyone… I’ll make sure that India will win, and India will win this series.”
And beyond Zimbabwe? The Vidarbha pacer’s eyes are locked on the ultimate cricketing summit.
“My ultimate dream is to win the World Cup for India and help India win it. That is my ultimate dream.”
With his father’s spirit as his tailwind and a decade of grit beneath his spikes, betting against Yash Thakur seems like a foolish endeavour.
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The post EXCLUSIVE | ‘Don’t Change Yourself’: How Gambhir’s Blueprint and a Late Father’s Dream Fueled Yash Thakur’s India Call-Up appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
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