Jasprit Bumrah fan Yash Thakur earns India T20I debut despite modest IPL returns

Yash Thakur’s patience finally paid off on Saturday when the Vidarbha fast bowler made his India T20I debut against Zimbabwe in Harare, replacing Ashok Sharma in the playing eleven for the second match of the three-match series. India made the change after a commanding seven-wicket win in the opener and will look to seal the series with another win.

Thakur’s stature is built on a strong domestic record rather than recent IPL form. The right-arm seamer has taken 110 wickets in 74 T20 matches at an economy rate of 8.17, including five four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls. His consistent wicket-taking ability on the domestic circuit eventually earned him his first call-up to India for the tour of Zimbabwe earlier this month.

India vs Zimbabwe 2nd T20I: Update | Scorecard

Bumrah remains his biggest inspiration

The 26-year-old has featured in 22 IPL matches and has taken a total of 27 wickets. However, his last two seasons with the Punjab Kings were far from memorable. He managed just three wickets in three appearances in the 2025 and 2026 editions while conceding runs at an economy rate of 12.76, making his selection in India all the more remarkable.

In an interview with JioHotstar ahead of the match, Thakur named Indian Prime Minister fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as his biggest inspiration.

“I admire Jasprit Bumrah a lot because he bounces brilliantly in every format and every phase of the game. He understands the situation and adapts to it,” Thakur said.

He added that he wants to become the kind of bowling captain he can trust in the overs, the middle overs and at the death. Saturday’s debut now offers him a chance to prove it on the international stage.

Playing XI for India vs Zimbabwe 2nd T20I

India (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Mayank Yadav.

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

25 Jul 2026 16:52 IST