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Punjab Kings pacer Yash Thakur has opened up about the frustration he experienced after getting limited opportunities in the IPL. Despite spending four seasons in the competition, Thakur has played only 22 matches across two teams, with his lack of game time eventually prompting him to speak to Virat Kohli.
Yash Thakur's journey has also taken a major step forward in 2026, as he made his India debut during the T20I series against Zimbabwe. The right-arm pacer picked up four wickets in two matches and will now look to build on his international opportunity after years of waiting for regular chances at the IPL level.
Yash Thakur's IPL and Team India journey
Yash Thakur was picked by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 45 lakh at the IPL 2023 auction. He spent two seasons with the franchise before moving to Punjab Kings, who bought him for INR 1.60 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 season.
The 27-year-old has represented LSG and PBKS across four IPL seasons, taking 27 wickets in 22 matches. His best IPL season came in 2023, when he picked up 13 wickets in nine games for LSG. He followed it up with 11 wickets in 10 matches in 2024.
However, his opportunities reduced significantly after moving to Punjab Kings under Shreyas Iyer. He played only two matches in IPL 2025 and one in IPL 2026 before making his India debut against Zimbabwe in July 2026.
I also met MS Dhoni sir. I told him I felt nervous and under pressure - Punjab Kings star Yash Thakur
Yash Thakur recalled how his first IPL season exposed him to some of the biggest names in world cricket and helped him learn valuable lessons from KL Rahul and MS Dhoni.
"Everything was new for me. I was just star-struck on seeing and sharing the dressing room with some top international players," Thakur said in an interview with Cricinfo.
"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.
The Punjab Kings star also revealed that he spoke to MS Dhoni about the pressure he felt while playing in front of large IPL crowds. Dhoni's advice helped the pacer develop a method that he continues to use whenever he feels pressure.
"I also met MS Dhoni sir. I told him 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."
I told him I was frustrated - Yash Thakur on chat with Virat Kohli
Yash Thakur revealed that he eventually discussed his situation at Punjab Kings with Virat Kohli, who encouraged him to focus on preparation instead of worrying about when the next opportunity would arrive. The Punjab Kings star said:
"I got a chance to speak to Virat [Kohli] bhaiya. 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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