Guided by Gambhir: Yash Thakur’s Journey of Faith and Success

Over the last few months, fast bowler Yash Thakur has undergone significant development, moving between various levels of cricket while also spending significant time on the sidelines.

Since this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), where he played two matches in Punjab Kings’ journey to the finals, Thakur has participated in the Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup. He was also part of the India ‘A’ team for series against Australia ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’, as well as competing in the Asia Cup Rising Stars T20 tournament.

Currently playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Thakur has taken nine wickets in four matches for Vidarbha, including a career-best 5/16 that halted Kerala’s progress at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.

Thakur’s two-year tenure with IPL team Lucknow Super Giants has enhanced his strategic approach and mindset at 26 years old.

“I was with Lucknow Super Giants for two years, which gave me insight into the pitch’s nature here. This definitely helped me today. Before coming, I discussed with the coaches at NCA which variations would be useful in Lucknow. They mentioned using slower bouncers, which I employed today,” Thakur shared, after dismissing three batters with short-pitched deliveries outside off-stump in the 18th over to limit Kerala to 164.

Meanwhile, current India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who served as a mentor for LSG in 2023, guided Thakur through the challenges of playing at various levels.

“When I was with LSG, Gautam sir was the mentor. He advised me to believe in myself. ‘You’ve come to the IPL after excelling in domestic cricket. The difference between domestic cricket and the IPL isn’t much. Whether facing a domestic or an international batter, on the ground everyone is equal, and you must see yourself as the best.’ I hold onto that advice, and it still helps me,” Thakur added.

Thakur’s pace and skill variations make him a promising all-format player, though he has often remained on the bench in the senior setup. He played in just one of the two Tests against Australia ‘A’ and did not appear in red-ball games against South Africa ‘A’, despite being in the squad. In the Asia Cup Rising Stars, he was selected for only two out of India A’s four matches.

However, Thakur’s ambition to represent India in all formats and his dedication to domestic cricket keep him motivated.

“My only dream since I started playing cricket has been to play for India and win the World Cup. This drives me every day. I aim to perform wherever I get opportunities instead of focusing on why I’m not playing.”

“Domestic cricket provides a great platform to develop skills. Our T20 domestic scene is a bit like the IPL now. Scores of 200 and 250 have become common, and sometimes you need to defend low scores, so it’s highly competitive… I’m thankful for the opportunity with the India-A team. But I don’t dwell too much on a national call-up that I lose focus on the present,” Thakur concluded.

Published on Dec 03, 2025