In New Delhi, March 4, Yash Dhull, the captain of India's U-19 team that won the 2022 World Cup, believes that his transition from age-group cricket to the senior domestic circuit has been as much about mental growth as on-field performance. The young Delhi batter believes that spending time with experienced professionals has significantly shaped his approach to the game, helping him evolve as both a player and a person.
The transition from age-group cricket to senior domestic cricket, including the Ranji Trophy, presented new challenges and perspectives.
"Your mindset definitely changes. When you lead as a captain and then move into senior domestic cricket, where you're sharing a dressing room with experienced players, it's a completely different environment. Being around seniors gives you confidence, and that experience changes your game and your mindset," Dhull said.
With India on the verge of another T20 World Cup final, Dhull expressed confidence in the team's balance and approach.
"The match against West Indies was crucial, and they played it very well. Sanju Samson played brilliantly. Right now, the team is in a very good mindset. I'm confident that India will win the final this time," he said.
He specifically praised Ishan Kishan. "The way he came back and performed in the World Cup is impressive. And the way Sanju came back and won the match for India, both of them can help India even more," he said.
The 23-year-old believes that his century in the U19 World Cup 2022 semi-final remains a defining moment of his career, shaping his mindset as both a batter and a leader.
"Scoring a century in the semi-final was a dream. It was a crucial stage. First of all, I never thought I would become captain. Then to score 100 in a semi-final of such an important match, maybe it was destiny, and I'm grateful for that," he said.
His seamless transition to the senior circuit, highlighted by a century on his Ranji debut, occurred during a special phase in his life.
"There's a phase in everyone's life when things just fall into place. When you keep playing and performing everywhere, there's a certain vibe; wherever you play, you're enjoying yourself and performing consistently. At that time in my life, everything was going well," he said.
Having opened and also batted in the middle order, Dhull clarified his long-term aspirations, saying, "I see myself as a team member first. It depends on what the team needs and where I can contribute the most. I prepare according to that."
However, when pressed on his preferred slot, the Delhi batter was candid. "I've been batting at one-down for Delhi, and that position suits me a lot. I enjoy playing the new ball. So for me, number three is good, one down is my preference."
Dhull impressed in both formats last season, striking at 167 in the DPL while also finishing as Delhi's second-highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy.
Asked about it, he said, "You just have to stay mentally prepared because sometimes you're playing red-ball cricket and sometimes white-ball cricket. During practice, we switch between red ball and white ball sessions. It's all about mental adjustment."
He believes each format offers a unique thrill. "In T20, the game can change in just one over. In one-day cricket, momentum keeps shifting. In Tests, sometimes you don't even know until the fourth day what the result will be. Every format has its own fun."
The Delhi batter also opened up about his childhood heart condition and surgery, a phase he describes as transformative.
"That phase was tough, but it helped me a lot in life. I understood myself better, what mistakes I was making, how I could become mentally stronger. Things were going smoothly and suddenly there was a setback. My motivation was to recover quickly and come back in better form," he said.
Reassuringly, he added, "Touchwood, everything is fine. I stopped taking medicines more than a year ago. I live a completely normal life like any other person."
Dhull, who harbours his own India ambitions, believes comeback stories carry lessons beyond cricket. "When you interact with people who have made such comebacks, you understand how tough life can be. And when someone makes a comeback after that, the feeling is something different; you can’t really describe it. Only the person who has gone through it can truly feel it," he said.
For Dhull, the journey from U-19 glory to senior ambition is still unfolding, but clarity of role, adaptability, and resilience already define the road ahead.
