10-wicket haul, Haryana pacer scripts Ranji history

Tribune News Service

The newest sensation in Indian cricket, Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj (23) has captured the spotlight after becoming only the sixth Indian — and the third bowler in Ranji Trophy history — to claim all 10 wickets in an innings.

Kamboj ran through Kerala’s batting line-up, ending with incredible figures of 10/49 in 30.1 overs, in the Ranji Trophy match in Rohtak on Friday. He joins a list that includes the legendary Anil Kumble.

Not known for possessing express pace, Kamboj’s strengths are his ability to move the ball both ways and his disciplined line and length. No wonder he said legendary Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath, known for his accuracy, was his greatest inspiration. “McGrath is my role model. His bowling pace, consistent line, length and ability to extract bounce have always motivated me to excel as a fast bowler,” said Kamboj.

Kamboj’s journey began at the age of eight, playing cricket with friends on the streets of Fazilpur. He started taking coaching for cricket at the age of 12. Kamboj revealed that his father, Udham Singh, a farmer, was the driving force behind his success. “My father dreamed of making me a cricketer and would bring me to Karnal daily from our village Fazilpur, about 20 km away, for practice,” he shared. Despite limited facilities in their village, Kamboj’s passion for cricket never faltered. His family relocated to Karnal five years ago to save time spent travelling and support his cricketing aspirations.

His relentless dedication and self-practice paid off when he was selected to play for the Mumbai Indians in the last IPL season. Acknowledging his milestone, Kamboj said, “Every player dreams of achieving something big. I went into the Ranji match determined to give my best, and I am thrilled to have achieved this milestone. My dream is to play for India and I want to repeat the same performance on the international stage.”

A final-year graduate student, Kamboj expressed gratitude to his teammates for their support during his historic Ranji performance and thanked the Haryana Cricket Association for nurturing young talent. “I am grateful to Anirudh Chaudhary sir and Ashwini sir for organising regular camps over the past few years, which have helped players like me hone our skills,” he said. Kamboj’s father also reflected on his son’s dedication and journey. “It is a moment of pride for our family. We will continue to support him in achieving his ultimate dream of representing India,” said Udham Singh.

His mother, Pinki, and younger brother, Sanyam, expressed immense pride in his accomplishments. “We are proud of him for bringing laurels to our family, Karnal, and Haryana,” said Pinki.

Driven by his family’s support and his unwavering discipline, Kamboj has quickly risen among the ranks on the senior circuit. Since making his First-Class debut in 2022, he has taken 57 wickets in just 19 games. The past 12 months have witnessed Kamboj really coming into his own. He took 17 wickets in Haryana’s victorious run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In September, he picked 8/69 in India C’s Duleep Trophy match against India B. Last month, he was part of the India Emerging squad at the T20 Asia Cup. He also got his maiden IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians, playing three games last season.