Lucknow, June 17 (IANS) Fast bowler Prince Yadav described representing India as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream after receiving his maiden ODI cap ahead of the second ODI against Afghanistan at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Delhi pacer was presented with cap No. 263 by vice-captain Shreyas Iyer before India’s clash against Afghanistan, capping a remarkable rise that has seen him progress from domestic cricket to the international stage in a short span.

“Whenever anyone starts playing cricket, their dream is always to play for India and wear the Indian jersey. During the headshot, I wore the jersey for the first time, so it feels really good. Made my parents feel proud, and I will thank god. Making a debut is a good thing for any player, but the main thing is that I perform for my team, and make my team win, then I will be very happy,” Prince said in a video shared by BCCI.

Prince was one of three changes India made for the second ODI. He replaced one of the seam-bowling options in the playing XI, while Yashasvi Jaiswal came into the side after Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out with an injury.

While handing over the debut cap, Iyer praised the youngster’s perseverance and backed him to seize the opportunity.

“Cap number 263, Prince. You have worked really hard to get here, and your performance definitely proves that. You deserve this opportunity. And the way you said yesterday that you want to make your country proud, and make every single person following you happy. So, good luck to you, your family, and everyone who has supported you throughout this journey. Do well, Buddy,” said Shreyas while handing Prince his ODI debut cap.

Prince’s elevation comes on the back of an impressive IPL campaign with Lucknow Super Giants, where he picked up 16 wickets in 14 matches during the 2026 season. Having initially joined the franchise as a net bowler before making his IPL debut in 2025, the right-arm pacer earned recognition for his ability to generate pace and execute deceptive variations, including a memorable dismissal of Virat Kohli and career-best IPL figures of 3/32 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

His journey has also been marked by adversity. In 2019, Prince served a two-year BCCI suspension after being found guilty of age-fudging in Under-19 cricket. Since returning, he rebuilt his career through consistent performances in domestic cricket before forcing his way into IPL contention and, ultimately, earning his maiden India call-up.

–IANS

vi/