ENG vs IND 2025, 4th Test: Will Anshul Kamboj replace injured Akash Deep? Here’s what he brings to the table.
It was November last year when Haryana fast bowler Anshul Kamboj grabbed the headlines by becoming the third player to take ten wickets in a Ranji Trophy innings. He achieved the feat when he dismissed Kerala’s Shoun Roger at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal stadium in Lahli, with figures of 10/49 in 30.1 overs.
Only twice before that, a bowler picked up all 10 wickets in an innings of the Ranji Trophy- Bengal’s Premangsu Chatterjee in 1956-57 and Rajasthan’s Pradeep Sunderam in 1985-86. The 23-year-old, who comes from Karnal in Haryana, a boxing heartland, could become India’s 318th Test player in Manchester against England.
Anshul Kamboj- Combination of MS Dhoni’s calmness and Glenn McGrath’s aggression
“If one wants to see aggression, Anshul Kamboj will show that to the England team.” Satish Rana, the pacer’s childhood coach, expressed this to Times of India (TOI) in a recent interview. Rana called Kamboj the combination of Glenn McGrath and MS Dhoni.
The fast bowler got the chance to meet the former Australia pacer during his time at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Kamboj soaked up all the possible skills of the veteran, from generating pace to finding swing and maintaining the right line and length. Rana explained how meeting McGrath at the NCA was a dream come true for the Haryana-born.
“I remember him saying, the smoother your action and release, the longer your career will be.” Rana added during the same discussion. But in sports, it’s also about balancing aggression with calmness. When things don’t go as planned, it becomes vital to take a pause and analyze the tempo. That’s where Dhoni’s contribution came into the picture.
The 24-year-old was part of the Mumbai Indians squad in 2024 before Chennai Super Kings (CSK) signed him in 2025. In eight fixtures of the recent IPL edition, the right-arm pacer collected eight wickets at an economy rate of eight.
“He has learnt the art of staying calm from Dhoni, especially under pressure. He is naturally a calm-headed person. Dhoni even discussed playing Test cricket and told him to stay fit and keep things simple.” Rana revealed.
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Ansul Kamboj’s first meeting with Indian Test team in Manchester
With the left-arm pacer, Arshdeep Singh, getting ruled out of the fourth Test, the selectors added Kamboj in the Test squad. Akash Deep has also picked up a groin, and Nitish Reddy is out of the remainder of the series with tissue damage. On the eve of the fixture, India captain Shubman Gill disclosed that the toss-up would be between Anshul and Prasidh Krishna.
But when Kamboj’s phone rang, he was with his family. He shared the news with his coach and visited the OPS Rana Brothers Academy in Karnal. It’s the place where he started his journey at the age of 11.
“He had only one dream of wearing the India Test jersey. Whenever I asked him, Will you play the World Cup? Which bowler do you want to be like? He would always say, Sir, first I want to play Test cricket for a long time. Everything else comes after that.” Coach Rana sheds light.
Anshul went through an intense net session on July 21 in Manchester, two days before the encounter. Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, had a long discussion with him. It has already been an advantage for the pacer, given that he was with the India A side for the two unofficial Tests. That would help him to acclimatize to the conditions quickly and find the right length, as his idol used to suggest.
“Just watch what he does at Old Trafford. I don’t want to overhype it. But bowing his head, listening to coaches and seniors, and applying that in his game- that’s Anshul’s strength. He is a good kid.” Satish Rana added.
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Anshul Kamboj can be India’s trusted first-change pacer
That had been the simplest issue for the visitors in the series. Jasprit Bumrah (12) and Mohammed Siraj (13) have combined to pick 25 wickets in three clashes. The next best for them is Akash Deep, who collected only one wicket in 31 overs at Lord’s. They are yet to find their trusted first-change pacer.
At Leeds, Bumrah bowled a fine opening spell against the home openers. But Siraj and Krishna leaked runs. It was the same case at Edgbaston, even though the tourists got a 336-run victory. It was the two new-ball bowlers sharing the rewards between them. On Bumrah’s return at Lord’s, the Bengal pacer looked pale.
Kamboj comes to the Test side with an experience of 79 first-class wickets in 41 innings. The right-arm pacer has an average of under 23 and a strike rate of 44.2. With the bat, he can bring more value to his position, having already collected 486 FC runs at 16.20.
The Old Trafford surface looked damp. There were a few patches which could shape the ball beautifully towards the batter, who will face a stiff task this week.
The best thing about Anshul Kamboj is that he bowls according to a plan. There were many occasions where he set up a batter during the IPL 2025 to get his wicket. That’s a rarity in the shortest format. But if he can repeat the same skill in a potential red-ball debut, it will be fabulous for Gill’s army. They are 2-1 behind in the series and can’t afford to slip this game to keep the fifth Oval Test alive.
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