Yash Thakur produced his best T20 bowling performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, starring in Vidarbha’s six-wicket win over Kerala with a sensational five-for. The pacer finished with figures of 5 for 16, including a triple strike in the 18th over, dismantling Sanju Samson’s side and showcasing why he remains one of the most promising fast bowlers in the domestic circuit. Thakur, who made his IPL debut for Lucknow Super Giants during Gautam Gambhir’s stint as mentor, credited the current India head coach for instilling belief in him early in his career. Despite spending most of the previous IPL season on the bench at Punjab Kings, Thakur said Gambhir’s words continue to guide him.
The Vidarbha quick also mentioned how his familiarity with Lucknow conditions helped him execute his plans perfectly against Kerala.
“I was with Lucknow Super Giants for two years, so I knew the nature of the pitch here. That definitely helped me today. Before coming here, I had discussed with the coaches [at NCA] about which variations would come in handy in Lucknow. They spoke about using slower bouncers, which I used today,” Thakur told Sportstar.
He further recalled the key message Gautam Gambhir shared with him during his LSG days.
“When I was in LSG, Gautam sir was the mentor. He had told me to believe in myself. ‘You have come to the IPL after performing well in domestic cricket. There is not much difference between domestic cricket and the IPL. It doesn’t matter whether a domestic batter or an international batter is batting. On the ground, everyone is the same, and you have to consider yourself the best.’ I keep faith in that advice, and that is still helping me,” the 26-year-old added.
Consistency in India A setup
Thakur has been making steady progress with India A as well. He featured in the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025, picking two wickets in two matches. In the Irani Cup 2025, he impressed with six wickets including a four-wicket haul. He also played an unofficial Test against Australia A in September 2025, taking two wickets in a winning effort.
Despite limited opportunities at Punjab Kings, the franchise retained him for ₹1.6 crore ahead of the mini-auction. In SMAT 2025 so far, Thakur has picked up nine wickets from four games.
Focused on the present, driven by long-term dreams
Thakur reiterated that his motivation remains unchanged since the day he picked up a cricket ball.
“When I started playing cricket, I had only one dream ; playing for India and winning the World Cup. That motivates me every day. I need to perform wherever I get chances instead of thinking about why I am not getting to play.”
He believes domestic cricket has evolved into a highly competitive environment, mirroring IPL challenges.
“Domestic cricket is a good platform for developing skills. Our T20 domestic cricket has become a bit like the IPL. Scores of 200 and 250 have become common. You have to sometimes defend low scores also, so it is very competitive… I am grateful that I got a chance in the India-A setup. But I don’t think so much [about a national call-up] that I lose focus on the present,” Thakur said.
