For Harsh Dubey, the dream of representing India has arrived far sooner than he expected. The Vidarbha all-rounder, who earned his maiden India call-up for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan, admitted that the opportunity to potentially share a dressing room with Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma feels surreal. Dubey’s rise has been one of the standout stories in Indian domestic cricket over the past year.
The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder played a crucial role in Vidarbha’s successful 2024-25 Ranji Trophy campaign and later captained the side to its maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title in 2025. His consistent performances have now been rewarded with a place in India’s ODI squad, alongside uncapped pacers Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar. Speaking about his selection, Dubey revealed that playing alongside Kohli and Rohit has long been one of his biggest ambitions.
“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,” Harsh Dubey said. “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. Even if I get to play one match with them, it will be a dream-come-true moment.”
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India’s ODI squad for the Afghanistan series includes both senior stars, although Rohit’s participation remains subject to fitness clearance after suffering a hamstring injury during IPL 2026. Interestingly, Dubey admitted that he never expected a national call-up this soon. Having recently been selected for the India A squad for the Sri Lanka ODI tri-series, he believed his immediate focus would remain on domestic cricket and the IPL.
“To be honest, I genuinely had no idea my name could come up, let alone in both formats. I have no words for it,” he said. The youngster also shared the unforgettable moment when he first learned about his India selection. While waiting at an airport after a flight delay, Dubey received a call from a cricket social media page asking for his reaction to being named in the ODI squad. Initially confused, he assumed the conversation was about the Sri Lanka A series. “As soon as I hung up, I started getting messages saying I had received both the Test and ODI call-ups. I quickly checked online and saw the news. It honestly took me a few minutes to process what had happened,” Dubey recalled.
‘Before they retire…’: Harsh Dubey’s Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dream
After his maiden India call-up, Harsh Dubey said playing alongside Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma before they retire would be a “dream come true moment.” 🇮🇳🏏#india #TeamIndia #rohitsharma #viratkohli…
— TOI Sports (@toisports) June 3, 2026
Despite the growing hype surrounding him, the 22-year-old remains grounded. While many see him as a future mainstay in India’s spin department, Dubey insists he is focused solely on the present.
“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. I don’t want to think too far ahead about playing the 2027 World Cup or winning the World Test Championship. I just want to stay in the present and do the best I can.”
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Harsh Dubey is also excited about the prospect of working closely with India’s captain, Shubman Gill, during the Afghanistan series. The youngster admitted he is keen to observe Gill’s leadership style from close quarters and learn how he manages a national team environment.
“I enjoy playing under captains who are aggressive and competitive on the field. No matter how calm you are off it, I believe you need that aggression on the ground,” he said. With a one-off Test in New Chandigarh followed by a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, Harsh Dubey now stands on the brink of the biggest chapter of his cricketing career. Whether he makes his debut immediately or not, the talented all-rounder has already taken a significant step towards realizing his lifelong dream of representing India at the highest level.
