Yash Raj Punja: 'Horrible' start, transformation under Bharucha, Alastair Cook's 'X-factor' remark

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals (RR) are just one win away from sealing a spot in the IPL 2026 playoffs, bringing them closer to a much-awaited IPL title. However, it certainly won't be easy against Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI), who will be eager to end their topsy-turvy season on a high. While the likes of Jofra Archer and Ravindra Jadeja certainly command attention, 20-year-old leg-spinner Yash Raj Punja has been an unheralded game-changer. Abu Dhabi-born Punja has picked six wickets in five matches so far this season, maintaining an economy rate of 8.35. The leg-spinner especially stood out with his performance in RR's last match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where he bamboozled Josh Inglis, emerging as the pick of the bowlers.

While 6-foot-5-inch-tall Punja has impressed one and all in his maiden IPL season, his initial days as a cricketer were certainly rocky to say the least. Sandeep Dhuri, a coach at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Cricket Academy, where the leg-spinner joined at the age of 7, said there was "absolutely nothing" in him as far as cricket is concerned. Dhuri further added that Punja was horrible initially but managed to pick up the skills rapidly.




'Switch from pace to leg-spin'

"I started off as a fast bowler but decided to switch to leg-spin based on the inputs provided by a coach from the Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy in South Africa. He told me I had a lot more potential as a spinner, which I thought was quite a big deal, sparking a change," said the RR leg-spinner during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.

While Punja initially played cricket with sufficient focus on academics, a significant turning point soon arrived after being spotted by former Karnataka head coach Karthik Jeshwanth. The leg-spinner impressed Jeshwanth with his bounce, urging him to approach the RR cricketer's parents about giving cricket a fair go. Punja's parents were very sceptical about going all out at the cost of academics, considering his brother Yodhin's struggle with injuries which eventually led to an early retirement.

Alastair Cook's X-factor remark

However, Jeshwanth managed to convince them about Yash's potential, paving the way for enhanced focus on the game. "Former England captain Alastair Cook had described him as a boy who has an X-factor nearly two months before I spotted him. That also played a role," shared Jeshwanth.

The 20-year-old leg-spinner decided to represent Karnataka in domestic cricket, training actively at the SIX Cricket Academy in Bengaluru with focus on ironing out chinks in the armour. Punja's ability to deliver the ball at an accurate length soon caught the eye of coach Zubin Bharucha, paving the way for a game-changing development.

'You have picked the right guy'

"I knew Yash has the ability to play for India at the first look considering his incredible pace and immaculate delivery. Tall leg-spinners generally over-pitch the ball because of the height factor. However, Yash maintained his length while bowling to Dhruv Jurel, hitting the top of the bat consistently. As we walked off, Jurel said, 'You have picked the right guy'," said Bharucha.

A routine was soon developed, involving two practice sessions where Yash was expected to bowl 70 overs a day. Bharucha encouraged emphasis on piling on the "volume" to develop a strong base which could help enhance mental strength, clarity and consistency. Punja initially struggled with acclimatising to this new routine, failing to complete the quota of overs due to other commitments.

"I had to give a big lecture on keeping your head down and sticking to bowling 70 overs in two sessions because there would be no progress without that. It's vital to maintain intensity while bowling every delivery because that's where the magic lies. While Yash didn't understand the concept initially, he slowly caught on. You can't just bowl 10 overs and disappear," shared Bharucha.

"We worked on his alignment and the zone where the ball was supposed to land. One day, I simply removed all the stumps from the line of the crease and asked him to bowl freely. There were moments of annoyance but Yash's skillset improved. Shane Warne used to say, 'You have control over how the ball reaches the batter but it must still land on a similar spot on good length', which is something I mentioned during our conversations," he added.
Learning from Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin

As Punja piled on the volume, sticking to an intense routine where there was no room for failure, dominance over the craft soon became a shining attribute. The 20-year-old cricketer continued to push past his limits after initially struggling to bowl 10-15 overs a day, ensuring 40 overs continuously till the deliveries were spot on. The improved work ethic soon became a core concept mentally, as personal standards rose, with utmost focus on outworking everyone. Off the field, Punja introduced meditation into his routine, resulting in the ability to stay focused on the present rather than falling prey to pressure.

"My googly was an issue about a year ago. However, bowling 15 overs of googlies at an exact spot repeatedly helped me land the ball exactly where I wanted. Zubin sir's emphasis on volume had a key role to play because of the confidence it develops," shared Yash.

The RR leg-spinner has described Anil Kumble and Yuzvendra Chahal as his biggest role models, highlighting the inputs received from the latter as a net bowler with RR in 2024. Punja further got an opportunity to learn from Ravichandran Ashwin, noting his focus on developing new variations and bowling them repeatedly in the nets to develop command.
Call for Team India fast-track

Bharucha believes that Punja should be considered for being fast-tracked into the Team India setup just like Varun Chakaravarthy, considering the quality and command of his deliveries. "The ceiling is very high. He's so far ahead in comparison to others in the same profile, especially considering the incredible profile of the ball, accuracy and multiple variations. I told Yash, 'Kumble built a career out of bowling exactly at one length. Why can't you do the same? It's an incredible template," he stated.