Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey made his long-awaited international debut for India in ODI cricket, and by his own account, it was adaptability — not rigid adherence to pre-match plans — that helped him navigate the pressures of the highest stage. Speaking in an interview with JioStar, Dubey offered a candid account of the mindset, preparation, and pathway that shaped his maiden appearance in national colours.

Trusting gut feel over the game plan

Dubey revealed that while team meetings provide a blueprint, in-match decisions often demand instinct over instruction. 'In our team meetings, we discuss the kinds of shots a player might play and the areas in which he is strong. At the end of the day, we can only try because he is a batter and has more opportunities to score runs and in ODIs, there is one more fielder inside the ring. So, I tend to go with my gut feel more often than not,' he said.

He cited the dismissal of the opposition captain as an example of this philosophy in action. 'I knew that if I bowled a bit quicker, it would be easier for him to hit. So, based on that situation, I moved away from the plan slightly and it worked. You should stick to your plans, but not be rigid in thinking they will always work. You have to be open to changing them according to the match situation and the conditions,' Dubey explained.

A debut that demanded a quick reset

The debut itself was far from seamless. Dubey admitted his opening over did not unfold as planned, and rather than dwelling on the setback, he pivoted immediately to problem-solving. 'The first over didn't go as well as I would have liked. I was trying to stick to my strengths, but things don't always go according to plan. After that first over, I was thinking about what I could do better, what lengths, speed or trajectory I could bowl that would work on that wicket,' he said.

Notably, Dubey only learned of his selection the evening before the match — during practice — yet managed to sleep soundly. 'I actually slept well, not thinking about the match too much,' he added, a detail that speaks to the mental composure he has consciously cultivated.

Mental preparation at the heart of his game

Dubey believes that beyond a certain stage of a cricketer's development, mental readiness overtakes technical refinement as the primary differentiator. 'After a certain age, I feel the preparation becomes more mental; it's about how you prepare yourself for every situation because you have to be ready for an opportunity at any time,' he said.

During the off-season, he practised with both the red ball and the white ball to stay format-ready. 'Since I didn't get a chance to play in the Test match, my focus was on doing well in the ODIs. I spoke to my coaches and worked on my bowling and fielding, and those things really helped,' Dubey stated.

The pathway: domestic cricket, India A, and the IPL

Dubey credited India's structured cricketing pathway — domestic cricket, India A assignments, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) — for smoothing his transition to international cricket. Sharing a dressing room with established international players, he said, proved invaluable. 'The more you communicate with senior players, the more you learn, and that is beneficial going forward,' he noted.

His appearances for India A in the Emerging Asia Cup and subsequent IPL stints gave him successive layers of exposure. 'I kept improving step by step. Those opportunities certainly helped me feel a little more at ease before the debut. There were definitely nerves, but not as much,' he said. The journey underlines how India's tiered system is increasingly producing cricketers who arrive at the international stage battle-hardened rather than wide-eyed.