In Short
- Anshul Kamboj was given the new ball in the Manchester Test
- Kamboj had figures of 10-1-48-1 at Stumps on Day 1
- Kamboj made his Test debut after replacing Akash Deep
Former Indian off-spinner R Ashwin has come out in support of Shubman Gill’s decision to hand debutant Anshul Kamboj the new ball in the fourth Test against England in Manchester, calling it “highly debatable” but understandable.
The move raised eyebrows, as Kamboj was preferred over the more experienced Mohammed Siraj to partner spearhead Jasprit Bumrah with the brand-new Dukes ball at Old Trafford.
After being handed his debut cap, Kamboj’s first spell in international cricket didn’t go as he would have hoped. England’s Ben Duckett took him apart in his opening over, striking three boundaries to seize early momentum. However, the Haryana-born pacer gradually found his rhythm and settled into disciplined trajectories.
Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, Ashwin said there was a method behind Gill’s thinking, pointing to Kamboj’s skill set that could’ve earned him success with the new ball and Siraj’s effectiveness with a comparatively old ball.
“Shubman Gill gave the new ball to Anshul Kamboj, and that is highly debatable. I can see why Shubman gave him the new ball, Anshul has good wrist position, swings it both ways. Siraj, on the other hand, is very good with the old ball,” Ashwin explained.
‘Anshul Kamboj made a strong comeback’
Despite a shaky start, Ashwin lauded Kamboj’s effort in bouncing back during the fag end of the day. The 38-year-old also urged viewers to temper expectations, considering it was the pacer’s debut and hoped the debutant got more wickets in his tally.
“To expect Anshul Kamboj to bowl in tandem with Jassi on debut, against Bazball? It’s a lot. His first spell was disappointing, yes, but he came back nicely. If the conditions help tomorrow, I won’t be surprised if he takes a few more wickets,” Ashwin added.
Kamboj was part of the India A Squad that locked horns with England Lions, finishing with decent outings in two unofficial Tests. Originally not being a part of the original squad, Kamboj was surprisingly given a nod ahead of Prasidh Krishna and finished Day 2 with figures of 1/48 in 10 overs.
At a moment when England’s second-highest run-getter of the series, Duckett, was inches away from his second ton of the series, Kamboj finally had his dream moment to cherish. In his third spell, the debutant claimed his maiden international wicket by dismissing the southpaw for 94.
As Day 3 of the Test match awaits at the Old Trafford, England are in a comfortable position at 225/2. England’s ever-reliable Joe Root, partnered with Ollie Pope will look to bat at length as the hosts are just 133 runs behind India’s first-innings total of 358.
On the flipside, Shubman Gill will look to regroup the bowling side and assert some pressure on what possibly looks as the moving day of the Manchester Test.
