Barely a month-and-a-half back when Anshul Kamboj had turned up for India A against the England Lions in Northampton, he too may not have had expected such
a quick elevation to the senior India XI.

But with first-choice pacer Akash Deep injured, the 24-year-old Haryana pacer got the nod from the Indian team management to make his debut in the Manchester Test.

India did have Prasidh Krishna to come in place of Akash. But Kamboj got precedence over Prasidh’s experience.

Ravi Shastri, the former spinner all-rounder, was the last to have made his international debut after reaching Wellington the night before the Test against New Zealand in February 1981.

Kamboj’s situation might not be exactly similar to the former India head coach, but he went on to earn the India cap just days after being named as cover for the injured Arshdeep Singh.

The Karnal-born pacer, who took 34 wickets from six games in last season’s Ranji Trophy, including an innings haul of 10/49 against Kerala in Rohtak, has already had to battle career-threatening injuries before graduating to the senior level. Hard work and unwavering determination, however, pushed him to perform, and importantly, he practised with the Dukes ball back home following the ‘A’ tour of England.

Ability to use the seam and extract movement are his strengths, but bowling the heavy ball — a delivery that seems to carry extra pace and impact than the bowler’s speed would suggest — gives him an edge, emphasised Haryana player-cum-mentor Ashok Menaria.

“The heavy bowl that he bowls and the hard lengths he hits — focusing on the three-quarter length — are his USP,” Menaria told The Telegraph on Wednesday.

‘When I had joined Haryana (in 2023), Anirudh Chaudhry (former BCCI treasurer) had told me about Anshul and that he would go on to be a Test bowler. I didn’t have much idea about him then as he had just started playing first-class cricket. But when we went to the Buchi Babu tournament, he bowled brilliantly there, and Anshul was told he would play in all matches of all formats.

“Besides, the time he has spent with Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the CSK dressing has strengthened him in terms of his mindset, which makes a huge difference at the highest level. And one more thing, he’s physically and mentally strong, and athletic as well,” Menaria added.