Harsh Dubey’s bad turn and a long way to Team India

India’s Harsh Dubey takes part in training in Lucknow. (AP photo) Tech Word News. com in Lucknow: It took Surendra Dubey and Jyoti Dubey almost 24 hours to travel from Nagpur to Lucknow. A delayed train only added to the journey, but nothing could dampen the spirits of the proud parents who missed out on watching their son Harsh Dubey make his India debut in Dharamsala as they failed to secure tickets at short notice. Deciding not to miss his second international appearance, they left nothing to chance and booked Tatkal tickets for the Lucknow ODI.“The train was delayed but it was worth it. We missed his debut match as we got the news of his debut only at 7 pm (the day before the first ODI). We tried our best but no flights were available. So for the Lucknow ODI we took no risk and booked tatkaal tickets,” Surendra Dubey, a former Central Industrial Security (CISF) officer told Timesof. com. Much like the train journey his parents undertook in Lucknow, Harsh Dubey’s journey to the Indian team was fascinating. It includes several stops, each adding a new dimension to his game and helping him hone his skills.It all started with a random twist. As an 11-year-old, Harsh Dubey was accompanying his father to buy books when they took a wrong turn and ended up outside the Ruby Cricket Club in Nagpur. Young Harsh aspired to be a batsman and former Vidarbha Ranji Trophy player Sanjog Binkar saw something special in him. Convinced of the youngster’s potential, he assured Surendra Dubey that the boy had a bright future ahead of him. “Bilkul golu molu sa bachha (he was a chubby kid) but very curious. He used to ask questions from that age. I was also an active cricketer then and his questions were so apt that I had to come prepared before every practice. He made me a coach and I can proudly say that he is my first pupil,” says Binkar proudly of his charge.“He always says in his interviews that batting is his first love. It is true. He is a casual bowler or should I say he has immense talent that he has become an excellent bowler as well,” adds Binkar.Dubey took 69 wickets in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season. It was the most by any pitcher in the history of the competition. The wily customer also scored 476 runs with the bat to earn the Player of the Tournament award.“His fundamentals with bat and ball are solid. He always bowled in one place. It was his bat where he was adventurous. I remember a time when I was fed up with him trying to push every bowler out of the park. I was so frustrated that I tied a rope to his leg and put a big rock on one end of it, then asked him to step. Binkar asked him to step.”Surendra Dubey and Savita Dubey balanced their jobs between batting, bowling and fielding. Once he started doing well and was selected for the Vijay Merchant Trophy (U-16), his parents made a bold call. Mr. Dubey joined the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and Mrs. Dubey left her teaching job to focus on Harsh.At 19, Harsh moved to the Nagpur Cricket Academy, which is affiliated to the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA), and coach Madhav Bakre immediately realized they had a gem on their hands. “We had heard about Harsh. His performances in junior cricket were well known,” says Bakre.But despite doing well in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, he missed out on the 2020 U-19 World Cup squad, forcing Harsh to introspect.“He asked us what he was missing. As a coach, I knew there was nothing wrong with his talent; it was his fitness. I bluntly told him to work on his fitness,” Bakre recalls.“From day two, he was a changed man. After every win, we used to celebrate samosas and jalebis in our academy and he stopped eating them. I don’t think he ate sugar since that interview. And now he is reaping the fruits,” adds Bakre.In the 2022–23 season, Dubey made his Ranji Trophy debut. He picked up 18 goals in six matches. The next year he took 19 goals in as many matches.

Dharamsala, June 13 (ANI): India’s Harsh Dubey took a knock during the first One Day International against Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday. (NOT a photo)

Before the 2024–25 season, Prashant Vaidya, former Indian seamer and director of the VCA Cricket Academy, contacted Ramji Srinivasan, the former Head Strength and Conditioning (S&C) coach of the Indian national cricket team, and asked if he could send four of their best players to Chennai to work with him.“Prashant sent four kids. One of them was Harsh. The others were Prafull Hinge, Akshay Wadkar and one other boy. They spent three weeks with me in Chennai. It was an S&C session. I shouldn’t take any credit or blow the trumpet, but those new exercise methods did wonders for Harsh,” he says.“Whether it’s a spinner, a left-arm spinner, a left-arm spinner, a leg spinner or a Chinese, everyone has a special training chart. We worked with Harsh on how he could use the crease more so that he can bowl 25 red-ball overs in a day. Sometimes in the Ranji Trophy, a left-arm spinner ends up bowling fast 35-40 overs. aspect,” he adds.“It snowed in Chennai,” laughs Ramji. “Just kidding, it was hot and humid and the boy showed great discipline in those three weeks. Now he’s reaping the rewards. He understood the importance of fitness and that’s why he’s playing for India now.”On the eve of the second ODI, Indian bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule heaped praise on the youngster and tipped him to become India’s best all-rounder.

Dharamsala, June 13 (ANI): India’s Harsh Dubey and his teammates celebrate the wicket of Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi during the first international match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday. (NOT a photo)

“Harsh definitely has a bright future as an all-rounder. He has done extremely well for Vidarbha and I think that is the reason why he has been given this opportunity,” said Bahutule.“You learn with every game. Even in the last game he was under pressure after that first over but the way he came back was impressive. Shubman also used him very well, made the right changes at the right time and gave him a finish that suited him.”“He is a player of the future. He has ability and good temperament and he has proven that not only in domestic cricket. The more he plays and the more experience he gets, the more he will improve his skills.”

Do you think Harsh Dubey can become a key all-rounder for India?

On his debut on the flat track in Dharamsala, Dubey took three for 47 and showed glimpses of his potential. Now he will have a chance to perform better in Lucknow with his parents watching from the stands. The secret to Harsh Dubey’s success is that he has had many stops along the way, but each one has only honed his craft and prepared him to become the Indian cricketer he dreamed of while buying books for the fifth grade.