Harsh Dubey on India call-up: “Felt like I was dreaming when I saw my name”

Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey has spoken about his maiden India call-up for the Afghanistan series in Tests and ODIs, calling it a dream-like moment. He reflected on learning the news unexpectedly and his excitement to share the dressing room with senior players.

Hyderabad: Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey received his maiden India call-up for the upcoming Afghanistan series in both the Test and ODI squads following impressive performances in domestic cricket and the TATA IPL.

Speaking to JioStar, Dubey reflected on the moment he learned about his selection, the importance of staying in the present, and the prospect of sharing the dressing room with legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

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“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,” Dubey said.

” 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,” he explained.

“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,” Dubey said.

On whether he was expecting the India call-up in both Tests and ODIs, Dubey said: “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.”

On potentially taking over the leading spinner’s role in the Test team, Dubey said: “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,” he said.

“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,” Dubey said.

On the prospect of sharing dressing room with legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the left-arm spinner said: “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,” he said.

“Even if I get to play one match with them, it will be a dream-come-true moment for me,” he added.

On playing under Captain Shubman Gill, Dubey said: “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,” he said.