AK47 finds the target: The indefatigable Anshul Kamboj reaps the benefits of better planning

Anshul Kamboj celebrates the wicket of New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner during the One Day International cricket match between New Zealand and India in Auckland, New Zealand. AUCKLAND: A day before members of the Indian ODI squad were to train at Eden Park, Anshul Kamboj was out for a walk with Ruturaj Gaikwad. The two grabbed a quick bite at a fast food joint near the bustling Diwali fair scene, obliged fans with a few pictures, and then slipped away largely unnoticed. Four sleeps away from his second ODI appearance, the 25-year-old Kamboj looked relaxed after proper practice, adequate rest and timely communication.The right-arm seamer toiled tirelessly in the nets for the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on November 1, took a bowling rest the next day and made the finishing touches on the eve of the series opener against New Zealand.Given his tumultuous entry into Test and ODI cricket, the preparations were too good to be true. Much like his dream outing in the series opener against the Black Caps.Kamboj had memorable outings in international cricket but ensured Auckland did not follow suit. With relentless lengths, crisp use of the swinging seam and paces, the highly rated Haryana player showed why the lead did not give up on him. Kamboj didn’t miss his spot during his spells, even when opponents tried to unsettle him by going to the ground, reaping rewards for himself and the team for his persistence.”One match doesn’t decide a career… I was doing the same things. After the tests in Manchester I was motivated to perform well. I don’t pay attention to the talk from the outside,” Kamboj said at the post-match press conference.When you prepare well, it gives you confidence and ensures that there are no surprises in the match,” he said of the preparation.As Kamboj drained the momentum from the New Zealand batting, Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh added to the wickets from the other end. By the time Kamboj completed his first spell (5-1-12-0), nearly half of the Kiwi side were back in the hut, leaving the hosts’ hopes of a big lower-order miracle total. Axar Patel was introduced to give the seamers a breather and Kamboj’s short break gave him more of a boost as he picked up the pace in his second spell and flirted around the 140km/h mark.“The dimensions were different, but it doesn’t matter when the help is off the field,” Kamboj said of the venue.The relentlessness paid off as he picked the wickets of Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith in successive overs and let mere formalities settle. The next five overs improved on the first spell and ended a penetrating spell of fast bowling.

That unknown feeling

Auckland had to give Kamboja an unfamiliar feel as he is not used to normalcy when it comes to international cricket. This time, however, the preparations and planning were top notch. He was not a substitute for injury on a long international flight or a change of format after a quick flight from South to East India.The plan to drop him after ordinary Tests and ODI debuts was never on the table as the management always believed in his abilities. When he returned to the set-up after the Manchester Test, his increased pace immediately caught the eye. The think-tank was impressed with the drastic improvement and wanted to give him consistent game time even after the Guwahati ODI against West Indies.With the Windies taking Kamboj to the cleaners, Indian captain Shubman Gill was quick to back the fire, declaring that both Auqib Nabi and Kamboj would continue to be in the mix.“It’s not easy to come in and be able to deliver immediately,” Gill said.“Anshul and Auqib are the type of players who will be in the mix a lot. And Anshul is someone who can also bat at number 8. And that number is very crucial for us,” he further added.Selectors listened to the captain, kept them in the mix and with careful planning helped Haryana AK47 find the target. Short, good lengths were the order of the day and with razor-sharp precision, Kamboj hit the spot to keep India on top.