The right-arm pacer was only 11 years old when he started playing professional cricket. It was his father, Udham Singh, who used to take him to the academy every day.
The Indian team made a few changes before going into play the fourth Test match against England at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday. Sai Sudharsan replaced Karun Nair, while the likes of Shardul Thakur and Anshul Kamboj came in for the injured Akash Deep and Nitish Reddy.
Young Anshul Kamboj also became the first Indian player to debut at Old Trafford since Anil Kumble in 1990. They have one more thing in common, as both of them have scalped 10 wickets in an innings, a feat quite rare in first-class cricket.
To deep dive into Anshul Kamboj’s journey, his coach sat down with CricXtasy for an exclusive conversation. Anshul Kamboj, who is a Haryana-born cricketer, had a topsy-turvy journey as from growing up in a small village near Karnal, to becoming the 318th Test cricketer to play for India, he has seen it all.
“I am really proud of him. We both used to dream about this day, and finally, it came. I am elated,” Kamboj’s coach Satish Rana told CricXtasy in an exclusive chat.
The right-arm pacer was only 11 years old when he started playing professional cricket. It was his father, Udham Singh, who used to take him to the academy every day.
“Anshul came to my academy when he was 11 years old. His father took him to my academy. He has always been hardworking, and he used to obey my instructions and do everything I asked him to do. One day, he came up to me, and he said he wants to become a good cricketer and wants to play for India. And cut to now, he has always been focused, dedicated, and on the back of his hard work, he got into the Indian team,” Rana told CricXtasy.
Anshul has always been known for putting in hard yards and has always been focused towards the game. He never missed his practice despite travelling for close to 100 kms on a regular basis.
“Ever since he came to me for cricket coaching, I have always found him hardworking. He is very disciplined and serious about his goals. He used to live in a village which is 30-40 kms away from Karnal. He was always on time, despite travelling such a long distance; he used to come on time.
“He used to be there on the ground by 5 AM in the morning every day. He used to spend 8-10 hours every day on the ground under my supervision. His father also played a crucial role and used to bring him every day to the academy. Anshul has struggled a lot to reach the level where he is now.”
The 10-fer In Ranji Trophy And Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Involvement
Anshul made his Ranji debut for Haryana in February 2022 in the game against Tripura. Last year, he created history, becoming the third bowler to take all ten wickets in an inning in the Ranji Trophy match against Kerala. As of now, he has played 24 Ranji matches, picking up 79 wickets. He also starred in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, finishing among the top wicket-takers with 17 scalps across 10 matches.
“He has performed well in the domestic circuit. You see, he scalped ten wickets in an innings in the Ranji Trophy game against Kerala. When we took eight wickets, I spoke to him and I asked him to focus. I told him that you have a chance to create history by picking all ten wickets, and he did the same,” Kamboj’s coach said.
On the back of a successful outing in the domestic circuit, he got a chance to play in the IPL. He made his IPL debut in 2024, playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI), who bought him for Rs 20 lakh at the mega auction. Later, after playing only three matches, he was released by the franchise. Then came in Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who roped him in for Rs 3.4 crore ahead of IPL 2025.
“I think when he was playing for India A under the captaincy of Ruturaj Gaikwad, he bowled exceptionally well. That was the time he came under CSK’s radar and eventually was picked in the squad for the IPL. His performance in the domestic circuit also helped him get there in the IPL,” Rana explained to CricXtasy.
IPL gave Kamboj the spotlight that even the ten-wicket haul couldn’t give — it meant that when he was on the A tour of England, Kamboj was instantly noticed as the CSK player. And his tight lines and skills gave him the attention he needed to find a place in the Test squad, even if it came late.
Way before achieving so much, Anshul was demoralised when he failed to play in the U19 World Cup in 2020. He was upset and even thought of leaving cricket.
“It was back in 2020, when he failed to take part in the U19 World Cup as he got injured. At that moment, he was upset. I sat down with him and motivated him that it is just a phase, and you will soon overcome it”, coach Rana revealed.
The pitch at Old Trafford has always been known to support pace bowlers, and that is where Anshul Kamboj will play a crucial role. He had a struggling start, especially going wayward with his lines, but made a strong comeback to scalp his maiden Test wicket late in the day, the big one of Ben Duckett. Moments before making his debut, he had called his coach and spoken to him.
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“I spoke to Anshul moments before his India debut, and I told him that you have got a golden chance and you should focus on doing well. Stick to your basics, and the rest will happen smoothly. He also sounded confident and assured me that he would give his 100%. Anshul’s strength lies in his accuracy. His line and length are just superb, just like his idol Glenn McGrath, and I am sure he will look to stick on that”, he said.
Coach Satish Rana feels Kamboj has played a lot of cricket with the Dukes ball, and he will be effective in the ongoing fourth Test in Manchester. He also stated that he is an all-format bowler and can do well in any conditions.
“Anshul was in England only, playing for India A. He has hands-on experience with the Dukes ball. I am sure he will use his experience and will do well for the Indian team in England. Anshul is a versatile bowler, be it white or red ball, he is a perfect fit in all formats of the game. He played in the IPL also, both for Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, and did well”, he signed off.
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