Team India’s newest T20I pace bowler, Yash Thakur, stated what legendary batter Virat Kohli said to him during IPL 2026 regarding his frustrations over the lack of game time over the past two seasons as well. He has also played only three matches across the last two IPL seasons with Punjab Kings (PBKS) as well.
In a recent conversation with ESPN Cricinfo, Yash Thakur said, “I told him I was frustrated as I wasn’t getting to play regularly. So he advised me not to think too much about the future. He said it was just as important to feel grateful for whatever opportunities I have got so far, and that my preparation must improve day by day – so whenever I would get a chance to play, I shouldn’t feel I’m not ready. So I started working on [my preparation].”
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“I told him (Dhoni) I felt nervous and under pressure, given I had never played in front of such huge crowds. So he told me I would keep feeling that way even in the future – whether at the IPL or whenever I play for India. His advice was to not overthink, and just let things sink in so that I could relax. This method continues to help me. The moment I feel any pressure, I take my time to settle,” he again said.
Yash Thakur also praised Team India veteran KL Rahul, under whom he played his first two IPL seasons with LSG in 2023 and 2024 as well. However, Rahul led LSG from 2022 to 2024, and the franchise qualified for the playoffs in the first two
seasons under him as well.
“Seeing [KL] Rahul bhaiya, who was our captain at LSG, I learnt about having clarity and calmness. He spoke to us in such a relaxed manner. Even if our plans didn’t come off, he never lost his cool. So those are important things I took back from my first year in the IPL. I wasn’t expecting to be picked after going unsold at the mega auction in 2022. But I was grateful that I was eventually taken in 2023, and even got to play for LSG. Everything was new for me. I was just star-struck on seeing and sharing the dressing room with some top international players,” Yash Thakur concluded.
