Yash Thakur was named as a replacement for injured Harshit Rana in India’s squads for the Afghanistan T20I series. Rana sustained a rectus femoris strain during a match simulation on September 7 and was ruled out of the assignment. Thakur, a 27-year-old from Vidarbha, made his T20I debut during India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July, playing two matches and taking four wickets in that series.
Former India opener K Srikkanth criticised Thakur’s selection in the playing XI for the third T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi. Srikkanth questioned the standards being applied to award the Indian cap and expressed concern about the message such selections send to the cricketing world. His remarks came after Thakur replaced Arshdeep Singh in the third match, with India already leading the series 2-0.
“How can some random guy like him wear the Indian cap? If Yash Thakur is getting the Indian cap, it sends a signal that you are giving the Indian cap very easily to anybody and everybody. That is not a good sign. To play for India, you need some credibility, talent, and strong domestic performance,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth questions selection standards and fairness
The former opener raised concerns about fairness in the selection process and the impact on established players. Srikkanth specifically referenced the contrast between Thakur’s limited IPL experience and his international opportunities, arguing that selection should reflect consistent domestic performance.
“It’s an injustice that Yash Thakur is playing for India. This is not, and it’s not fair or right. It’s not fair on people like Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Guys like Yash Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi are not even regulars in their IPL teams.” The speaker said.
Thakur’s contrasting domestic and IPL records
Thakur’s international record shows five wickets in three T20Is at an average of 18.40 and an economy rate of 9.20. In the third T20I against Afghanistan, he finished with figures of 1 for 17 in two overs in India’s 127-run victory. His domestic credentials include 81 wickets in 50 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches at an economy rate of 7.04, demonstrating stronger performance in the shorter domestic format.
However, Thakur’s IPL record presents a contrasting picture, with 27 wickets in 22 outings at an average over 30 and an economy of 10.59. He debuted for India in the Zimbabwe T20I series despite playing only a solitary game in IPL 2026, which formed the basis of Srikkanth’s criticism regarding the gap between IPL performance and international selection. India won the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan 3-0, with victories by seven wickets in the first two matches and by 127 runs in the third.
