Harsh Dubey has described the rush of emotions that followed his first-ever selection to India’s senior team, saying it felt surreal to imagine sharing a dressing room with two players he grew up admiring—Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 23-year-old Vidarbha-born all-rounder, who also represents Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, has been named in both India’s ODI and Test squads for the upcoming home assignment against Afghanistan.
Dubey’s call-up and the “dream” of playing alongside legends
- Dubey said it took him several minutes to absorb the news, particularly the idea of rooming with Rohit Sharma and Kohli, two cricketers he has followed since he began understanding the game.
- He noted that if you ask any young player about their immediate favourites, Kohli and Rohit are typically the first names that come up, adding that he has watched them deliver for India and consistently dominate at the highest level.
- The all-rounder added that he always wanted at least one chance to play alongside a legend before the end of their career, and that even one appearance would feel like a “dream” moment.
How he found out: a flight-delay mix-up at Chennai
- Dubey explained that he discovered his inclusion through a confusing misunderstanding while waiting at Chennai airport with his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammates after a delay to their flight.
- He recalled that a call came in from someone involved in managing a cricket-related social media page, asking how it felt to have his name in the ODI squad.
- Because of the surrounding noise and poor connectivity in the lounge, Dubey believed the person was referring to an ODI tri-series involving Sri Lanka A, and he responded that it felt like another step toward his dream while keeping his focus on the IPL.
- After the call ended, messages started coming in suggesting that he had been selected for both the ODI and Test squads, which left him unsure at first since the squad had only just been announced.
- He then checked online to confirm the news, saying it genuinely took him a few minutes to process what had happened.
- Dubey also mentioned that even when “Murali sir” asked him who the other spinners in the squad were, he initially answered that he had only seen his own name—showing how stunned he felt in the moment.
For Dubey, the entire episode has carried the feeling of a dream—one that began with a delayed flight and a mistaken first impression, and ended with his first senior India call-ups in both formats for the Afghanistan series at home.
