New Delhi: Uncapped spin-bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey has revealed that his selection in India’s Test and ODI squads came as a complete surprise, admitting it took several minutes for him to process the news.
The 22-year-old, who is in line to make his international debut during the home series against Afghanistan, described the moment he learned about his selection as surreal and said it genuinely felt like he was dreaming.
Dubey explained that he was at the airport when he received a phone call from a cricket social media page manager asking about his inclusion in the ODI squad. Due to noise and connectivity issues, he initially believed the caller was referring to his selection for the India A squad for the Sri Lanka tri-nation ODI tournament.
It was only after the conversation ended that messages began pouring in informing him that he had been selected for both India’s ODI and Test squads. Curious and confused, he checked the news online and discovered that his name had indeed been included in both teams.
The young all-rounder said the development caught him completely off guard. He admitted that even after seeing the announcement, he struggled to fully comprehend what had happened and focused only on noticing his own name in the squad list.
Dubey’s selection comes on the back of consistent performances in domestic cricket and a promising IPL campaign with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he claimed eight wickets in eight matches.
His first-class record has been particularly impressive. Representing Vidarbha Cricket Team, he has taken 133 wickets in 27 matches at an average of 23.26, including nine five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match performances. He has also contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 1,027 runs with nine half-centuries.
Despite the excitement surrounding his call-up, Dubey insists he is not looking too far ahead. Rather than thinking about future World Cups or long-term goals with the national team, he says his focus remains on performing well in the immediate challenge before him.
With a calm mindset and strong domestic credentials, Dubey now stands on the brink of fulfilling a lifelong ambition as he prepares for what could be his first appearance in Indian colours.
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