Approaching the latest of his many half-centuries at Holkar, Yash Dubey played an exquisite shot in the afternoon match against Bhopal Leopards. Generally when batters receive width outside the off-stump the horizontal blade is employed, especially in T20s, to ensure that there is enough power behind the stroke to beat sweeper cover. Yash was facing a spinner, the lack of pace to work with rendering the slap imperative. Instead he chose to meet the ball with a ramrod straight bat, punching regally off the backfoot to find the fence.
The situation at that stage was pretty similar to how Ujjain Falcons were poised in their campaign opener against Gwalior Cheetahs. Yash was well set; the onus squarely on the senior member to put the innings into overdrive.
There was a hint of variable bounce from the Adani End, so his across-the-line hoick met air. Unfortunately, the ball did not. Castled for 37 at the halfway mark, Yash walked back in disappointment, probably questioning his shot selection as it marked a significant departure from his natural game. Another loss of the stumps and an episode of miscommunication with Soham Patwardhan meant after three fixtures, Yash was yet to make his presence felt in Madhya Pradesh T20 League 2026.
‘’I analyzed that I was rushing things a lot, so I calmed myself down. It was a black-soil pitch, where the bounce is low and waist-high at best, so I aimed straighter,’’ said Yash, who launched a couple of solid sixes down the ground after an in-form Chanchal Rathore departed early. ‘’I fed the thought process to my subconscious mind that I will use the depth of the crease and stick to my strengths.’’
Opener Karan Tahilyani found himself in the same boat as Yash, having come a cropper in his initial two knocks for Indore Pink Panthers. Left-arm orthodox Pawan Nirwani handed him a golden duck before Pankaj Patel bounced him out with a snorter. Two consecutive failures in the televised world of T20 cricket, where batting in the PowerPlay is considered to be the easiest of all phases, create a fertile ground for the imposter syndrome to kick in.
‘’Of course, I was under pressure because you’re carrying the weight of so many expectations. From friends and family, from the franchise, from yourself,’’ admits Karan, the tone-setter versus Malwa Stallions.
Parallels ran through both the innings. Yash and Karan batted one drop in their comeback trails, reminding themselves not to abandon the approach that has brought them to this very stage. By staying true to their formulae, either scored half-centuries that provided the platform for lower-order guns like Madhav Tiwari and Venkatesh Iyer to explode respectively. To round off the symmetry on a lighter note, they watched with their mouths agape their butter-fingered teammates drop a dime a dozen. Yet each ended up on the winning side, defending cushion-rich totals under the lights.
Relief writ large on his face having eventually lived up to his billing, Yash elucidated that he was still wet behind the ears in the shortest format. He was the fourth-highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy 2021-22 – an edition his team won – including a career-best 289 against Kerala in a do-or-die fixture and a resolute century in the final against Mumbai. Yash also has an Irani Cup hundred to his name. He was picked for Deodhar Trophy 2023-24 and averaged 49 in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. However, the right-hander is yet to debut in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, considering his T20 game a work in progress.
‘’My exposure to this format has been limited, so I’m taking it one day at a time rather than thinking too far ahead. I’m grateful for the launchpad that MPT20 is, and I’m adapting on the go,’’ Yash remarks.
Facing Sagar In the inter-divisional tournament of the state, Karan plundered 361 in sweltering heat for Indore two summers ago. While many such performances need to be stacked to rise through the domestic ranks, a couple of electric efforts in MPLT20 can be a game-changer in terms of optics, and thereby growth, since IPL scouts representing Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Chennai Super Kings are scribbling in their diaries takeaways that could catapult the average joe to superstardom.
‘’It’s a privilege to be a part of Indore Pink Panthers, who’ve backed me to the hilt. Everybody’s aim is to advance to the next level, which is IPL, so looking forward,’’ Karan trails off.
The risky nature of T20 cricket necessitates a safety blanket for its participants, maybe an extra large one for longer-format specialists eyeing a feasible transition. Sai Sudharsan dawdled to 145 runs off 114 balls in IPL 2022, but Gujarat Titans believed in his ability through and through. Currently, he averages 48.37 at a strike rate that flirts with 150. Their latest campaign was built on boundaries rather than sixes, offering hope to batters who may not be packing a whole lot of muscle but possess the skill and smarts to excel nonetheless.
‘’Everyone practices hard, but implementation at the right moment is key,’’ Yash reckons. ‘’If you spot a ball in your range, you have to attack. You can’t let apprehension or fear of failure clutter your decision-making. T20 cricket doesn’t bode well with half-heartedness, and that conviction of committing to your strokes comes from quality preparation as well as positive self-talk.’’ Exactly the virtues that allowed Karan to target Malwa Stallions’ pace battery in the middle phase.
The narrative arcs of these stylish right-handers have much in common, however their teams are separated by a fair margin on the leaderboard despite the difference of a single victory. In case the center strips lose their liveliness over the course of the competition, the franchises can count on their wherewithal to switch gears. On the other hand, if the featherbeds remain intact, unorthodox tricks are being duly honed.
‘’I am trying to add a reverse sweep to my options to neutralize the tramline yorker,’’ Yash informs. Ajinkya Rahane’s pick-up beauties in Chennai Super Kings’ yellow spring to mind as he expands, ‘’It’s all about finding creative ways to improve and broaden your horizons. Learning never stops.’’
