No shortcuts to success: Anshul Kamboj earns another chance in Test cricket
When Anshul Kamboj made his debut in Manchester in 2025, he had little time to cope with the demands of international cricket. Called up as an injury replacement after Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh were ruled out Haryana fast bowler has landed in England and was put into operation within 48 hours. Against an English side that amassed 669 runs on a flat pitch, Kamboj bowled 18 overs, conceding 89 runs and picking up a wicket.
It was a difficult introduction to Test cricket. He lacked rhythm, his pace was under scrutiny and the performance gave little indication that he was ready to become a regular in India’s red-ball plans. The fourth Test would eventually be part of India’s series tied 2-2, but Kamboj would have to wait more than a year for another opportunity in the format.
He didn’t spend that time waiting for a call.
“It was nothing but realizing where you are lacking and finding out what mistakes you made so you can go back home and work on them,” Kamboj tells IndiaToday.in.
“Give up? No, giving up is never an option. It shouldn’t be. You always have to work hard; giving up doesn’t stand a chance, it won’t do anything.”
The 25-year-old is back Indian Test team on tour of New Zealandwho also made his ODI debut earlier this month. The recall was not widely expected, but Kamboj has continued to come into contention through domestic cricket, India A assignments and a productive IPL season with Chennai Super Kings. His first test trip didn’t go as planned. The job that followed gave him another chance.
“I’m very happy because of course it was necessary for me to come back. I mean, to reach this level I had to work extremely hard. It wasn’t like I just got there out of nowhere,” he says.
“When my debut didn’t go too well, I felt quite… I wouldn’t say bad, but I felt strongly that I needed to improve, do better and increase my efficiency. I kept thinking about it and now that things are coming out, I’m very happy with it.”
For Satish Rana, the coach who has worked with Kamboj since childhood and continues to train him, the Manchester Test was more of a bad day than a verdict on the bowler’s ability. Both went back to basics and Kamboj went back to work.
“That Test match in Manchester, I would say our day just went wrong and it didn’t go well. But right from the start till now, none of his matches have gone completely wrong, so we just told Anshul to forget about it, focus ahead on his game and work properly,” says Rana.
“After that, Anshul worked extremely hard. He stepped up his hard work. He’s a very hardworking kid.”
8 to 10 HOURS ON THE GROUND
Photo by PTI
Rana first met Kamboj when the fast bowler was around 10 or 11 years old. His father brought him to an academy that was about 30-40 kilometers from their village. Initially, the family managed the daily commute before Kamboj moved to Karnal to stay closer to the academy and focus on cricket.
“He was a very disciplined boy from childhood,” says Rana.
“His training routine since childhood was to stay on the ground from morning to night, about eight to ten hours a day. This played a huge role in building his strength, conditioning and overall fitness.”
Even after playing a match, Kamboj would ask for another match at the net or in the field. Rana says he never used the excuse of being tired. Lessons on the ground continued as he progressed through the age group system, from 14 to 16 and 19, before opportunities at higher levels followed.
Kamboj remembers the early years as a time when cricket was simply something he loved.
“Initially, I just loved playing cricket for fun. When I started professionally, I enjoyed it immensely and it was very motivating. Since I was on the right path from the beginning, I felt that taking cricket seriously was the best way forward,” he says.
The desire to constantly improve remains.
“That’s natural from the beginning. I like to work on myself every day and improve even if it’s just one percent. Every day should include some improvement so that you improve day by day.”
Rana says the bowler has remained grounded despite the accolades that have come his way, including his IPL stint. He still stays in touch with the academy and calls his coach before the series to discuss areas he wants to work on.
“His personality has remained exactly the same as when he first came to me when he was 10 or 11. Fame hasn’t changed him at all, unlike some kids who change after recognition. He is very grounded and remains in good touch with everyone at the academy,” says Rana.
“Even now, before any series, he calls me ahead of time to tell me what specific practice he wants to focus on.
LOVE OF RED-BALL CRICKET
Months after Manchester spent rebuilding their domestic game. Kamboj played one Duleep Trophy match in the 2025–26 season, taking two wickets, before returning for the 2026–27 campaign, picking up five wickets in two matches. He took 13 wickets in five matches for Haryana in the previous Ranji Trophy season.
He also toured with India A to Sri Lanka in June before the senior Indian team played two matches there, and appeared in two red-ball matches against Australia A in Puducherry, taking six wickets. Opportunities kept him involved in the longer format while he stayed out of the Test side.
His maiden ODI appearance earlier this month brought another challenge. Kamboj conceded 82 runs as West Indies chased India’s 352 in New Chandigarh. Again, it wasn’t the kind of debut he would have liked. But he returned to domestic cricket and made an immediate impact in Haryana’s Ranji Trophy opener against Himachal, taking six wickets, including four in Rohtak.
The New Zealand assignment will require him to move between formats again. He is part of India A’s tour for three first-class matches, although his participation will be limited due to his place in the ODI squad. He will then join the Test team where he will have the opportunity to work alongside India’s leading fast bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah.
Kamboj is looking forward to getting a first-hand understanding of New Zealand conditions.
“I’m heading to New Zealand. I’m pretty excited because it will give me an idea of what lengths I should be mixing and what conditions to expect. Since it’s my first time there, it will give me a good idea of the weather and course conditions,” he says.
BOWLER FOR DIFFERENT SITUATIONS
Anshul Kamboj made his ODI debut in October 2026 (PTI Photo)
While red-ball cricket was the foundation of Kamboja’s development, the IPL gave him another platform to make his mark. He took 21 wickets in 14 matches for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 and became a useful option in the death overs despite being a new bowler by trade. His wide yorkers from around the wicket added another weapon to his repertoire.
There were also difficult days. Against Lucknow Super Giants, he conceded 63 runs in just 2.4 overs. The nature of T20 cricket means that even a bowler enjoying a productive season can be on the receiving end of a heavy attack. Kamboj’s approach is to proceed quickly.
“The easiest way, although easier said than done, is to get over it as quickly as possible without dwelling on it. Focus on what you have to do next, rather than dwelling on what has already happened,” she says.
His time at CSK also gave him a chance to learn through conversations with MS Dhoni. Kamboj says there were no formal sessions where Dhoni sat him down to discuss bowling, but the day-to-day exchanges helped him understand the demands of the format.
“It’s not a formal conversation per se, but the conversations happen organically, which gives you clarity on what kind of mindset you should have. If you’re too focused on results, you won’t perform well, so it’s much more about focusing on the process and your work,” he says. Anshul Kamboj says he learned a lot from his interactions with MS Dhoni (PTI Photo)
Kamboja’s mindset changes with the format, though the fundamentals remain the same.
“In red-ball Test cricket you focus on wickets most of the time, whereas in white-ball cricket you also focus on restricting runs,” he says.
Rana believes Kamboja’s background in red ball cricket has helped him adapt to the demands of the white ball.
“The fundamentals remain the same when it comes to coaching. With the white ball, you have to adapt your skills, although Anshul has done well with the white ball as well, like in the IPL. If you look at his initial spells, he has done well in white ball cricket as well. The red ball has been his staple since Under-14 cricket.”
The next challenge is to turn his Test appeal into something more permanent. Kamboja is 25, has made his international debut in two formats and has yet another opportunity to show that the Manchester tour was only the beginning of his Test journey.
His ambitions are straightforward.
“Long-term goals are always about playing as much as possible for the national team and winning matches for the country. Short-term goals include focusing on upcoming tournaments like the World Test Championship or a particular bilateral series,” he says.
Rana has a similar wish for the youngster he first trained more than ten years ago. “I just want to see Anshul cement his place firmly in the Indian team so that he can contribute as much as possible to the country.
For now, Kamboj has another tour ahead of him, more conditions to understand and another opportunity to earn his place. The work that brought him back into the Test squad will have to continue when he gets there.
– The end