If you were Anshul Kamboj, chances are you weren’t expected to find yourself as the name on everyone’s lips ahead of the Manchester Test. After all, the pacer had been sent home after India A’s tour of England as Harshit Rana was called up as injury cover for the first Test. But right after the Lord’s Test loss and in the build-up to the match in Manchester, India found themselves in big trouble.
Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out of the series and Arshdeep Singh suffered an injury to his bowling hand. To add salt to the wounds, Akash Deep, who has taken 11 wickets in two matches, was ruled out of the Manchester Test due to a groin issue. That meant Anshul came in as cover, and it now seems like he is being thrown into the deep end. Shubman Gill, during the press conference, more or less confirmed that the pacer is in line for a debut, and it will be a toss-up between him and Prasidh Krishna.
“We (Anshul Kamboj) have seen him enough. He knows exactly what we want. He is there because he knows that he can win us the match. Yes, it is not ideal to go back after every match and have a different combination. But yes, he is very close to making a debut. It will be a toss-up between him and Prasidh,” Shubman said.
If you look at Gill’s words from the presser, the standout line is the pacer knowing his role and what is expected of him.
This was something R Ashwin also spoke about regarding the Haryana pacer on his YouTube channel, saying that he knows the plans well and even comparing his approach to that of Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah.
“The appreciable thing about Anshul is that he understands the plan. I’ve seen so many fast bowlers who, when asked about the plan, simply say they want to express themselves and enjoy the game,” Ashwin said.
“But Anshul knows the plans and how to execute them in the middle. That’s not a trait many fast bowlers possess. Zaheer Khan had it – he was amazing. In recent times, Jassi (Bumrah) is another who understands the plan and executes it to perfection. Anshul belongs to that variety. I’m not comparing skills, because that’s a different thing.”
Knowing the England Conditions
If you’ve followed Anshul’s first-class career and journey through the cricketing ranks, one of his standout traits has been his consistent length and his ability to bowl long spells. You don’t have to look further than his incredible 10-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy game against Kerala last year to see what he’s capable of.
More than that, it’s probably his recent experience playing in England that could become a key factor. The pacer picked up 5 wickets in 4 innings during the India A vs England Lions matches, but many felt he was the best bowler on display and deserved more.
As his coach Satish Rana said, the man is eager to make full use of the opportunity and show the world what he can do.
“Sir, I know the conditions. I’ve played there for India A.’ He’s desperate to get out there and perform for the team. He’s still a kid, and he’s getting valuable guidance from Gambhir sir and Bumrah. He asked them a lot of questions. Finally, he’s where he always wanted to be,” said Rana to TOI.
This is something Sanjay Manjrekar also agreed with, as he feels the Manchester conditions will suit the youngster.
“I think his bowling style will suit the conditions expected. At Manchester, they’re saying, we have overcast conditions. The pitch is good for batting, but there’s pace and bounce. So India would want to have somebody who is solid in his line and length. Prasidh Krishna has played before and has been left out because of his performances. So there’s no point in bringing him back because he was left out on current form and performance. So worthwhile trying with somebody like Anshul Kamboj,” said Manjrekar.
A Calm and Smooth Operator With a Tinge of McGrath Aggression
As a pacer who focusses on line and length, there’s no better role model than the legendary Glenn McGrath. Kamboj was able to learn a lot from the Aussie legend during his time at the NCA, doing what any aspiring bowler would do — study McGrath’s spells and apply them to his own bowling.
“He is a big fan of Glenn McGrath. Bowls just like him. He watches McGrath’s videos, especially his wicket-taking spells, and tries to apply that in his own bowling. Meeting McGrath at the NCA was a dream come true for him. It changed his life and completely transformed his approach to bowling,” said Anshul’s coach Rana.
Also Read: ENG vs IND 4th Test, India predicted XI: Kamboj to debut, still no place for Kuldeep?
Now, McGrath may have been nicknamed ‘Pigeon’, but he had a steely aggression behind those calm eyes — something Anshul seems to possess as well.
“Just like McGrath had aggression in his eyes, he does too. In fact, there’s even more aggression in his bowling than in his eyes,” said Rana.
But there’s also a calmness to the young pacer — something instilled in him by none other than MS Dhoni.
“He has learned the art of staying calm from MS Dhoni, especially under pressure. He’s naturally a calm-headed person. Dhoni advised him to remain composed in all situations and never lose his cool,” said Rana.
Well, that’s the perfect mix you need at the highest level. And it’s exactly what the Indian team is hoping for from their newest pace prospect. So what should we expect from the man from Haryana?
“Just watch what he does at Old Trafford. I don’t want to overhype it. But bowing his head, listening to coaches and seniors, and applying that in his game — that’s Anshul’s strength. He’s a good kid,” said Rana.
And that could prove to be the difference if India win the Test in Manchester and level the series.
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