"Felt like I was dreaming": Harsh Dubey on receiving Team India Test, ODI call-ups

Ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, uncapped Indian spin all-rounder Harsh Dubey said that the realisation that he was called up for Team India's Test and ODI squad for the home series felt like "he was dreaming" and he aims to stay in the present at the moment.

Dubey, who wore Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) colours in this year's IPL, taking eight wickets in eight matches, is in line for his international debut in the home series against Afghanistan, starting from Thursday with the one-off Test.

The Vidarbha spinner has taken 133 wickets in 27 first-class games at an average of 23.26, with best figures of 6/36, a total of nine five-wicket hauls and two ten-fers. He also has 1,027 runs in 44 innings at an average of 25.65, with nine fifties to his name.

Speaking to JioStar ahead of the match, Harsh Dubey spoke about the moment he found out about being selected for Team India at the airport, where he received a call from someone managing a cricket social media page informing him about the call-up to the ODI side.

"We had reached the airport and found out our flight was delayed by an hour. I got a call from someone managing a cricket social media page, asking how I felt about my name being in the ODI series. Because of the noise and network issues in the lounge, I thought he was referring to the Sri Lanka A ODI tri-series (for which he was later replaced by Anukul Roy), so I said it felt like one step closer to the dream and that my focus was still on the IPL," he said.

He added that as soon as he hung up the call, he started receiving messages about his call-up to the ODI and Test sides, and he felt "confused".

"As soon as I hung up, I started getting messages saying I had received both the Test and ODI call-ups. I was confused because the squad had just been announced, so I quickly checked online and saw the news. It honestly took me a few minutes to process what had happened. Even when Murali sir asked me who the other spinners in the squad were, I told him I had only seen my own name. It genuinely felt like I was dreaming," he added.

He also said that when his name was initially announced for the Sri Lanka A ODI tri-nation series taking place in June, he did not think he was in the scheme of things for Team India and told himself to focus on the IPL and the tri-nation series.

"I genuinely had no idea my name could come up, let alone in both formats. So, honestly, I have no words for it," he added.

The all-rounder said that he is not thinking too far ahead and is taking things "one game at a time".

"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, rather than thinking about playing for the next 10 years. I don't want to think too far ahead about playing the 2027 World Cup or winning the WTC for India. I just want to stay in the present and do the best I can with what is in my hands," he signed off. (ANI)