No shortcuts to success: Anshul Kamboj earns another shot at Test cricket

After a difficult Test debut in England, Anshul Kamboj kept turning up for domestic cricket and India A. Now, with a Test recall for New Zealand and an ODI debut behind him, the 25-year-old Haryana fast bowler has another chance to make his mark.

When Anshul Kamboj made his Test debut in Manchester in 2025, he had little time to settle into the demands of international cricket. Called up as an injury replacement after Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh were ruled out, the Haryana fast bowler landed in England and was thrust into action within 48 hours. Against an England side that piled up 669 runs on a flat pitch, Kamboj bowled 18 overs, conceded 89 runs and picked up a wicket.

It was a difficult introduction to Test cricket. His rhythm was missing, his pace came under scrutiny and the performance did little to suggest that he was ready to become a regular in India's red-ball plans. The fourth Test would eventually be part of a series India levelled 2-2, but Kamboj would have to wait more than a year for another opportunity in the format.

He did not spend that time waiting for a call.

"There wasn't much of a mindset other than realising where you are lacking and figuring 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 even be an option. You always need to work hard; giving up has no chance, it won't lead to anything."

The 25-year-old is back in India's Test squad for the tour of New Zealand, having also made his ODI debut earlier this month. The recall was not widely anticipated, but Kamboj has continued to put himself in contention through domestic cricket, India A assignments and a productive IPL season with Chennai Super Kings. His first Test outing did not go to plan. The work that followed has given him another chance.

"I am very happy, because obviously, a comeback was necessary for me. I mean, to reach that 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 effectiveness. I kept thinking about that, and now that those things are working out, I am 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 a bad day rather than a verdict on the bowler's ability. The two returned to the fundamentals, and Kamboj got back to work.

"That Test match in Manchester, I would say our day just went bad, and it didn't go well. But right from the start until now, not a single match of his went completely poorly, so we just told Anshul to forget it, focus ahead on his game, and work properly," Rana says.

"After that, Anshul worked extremely hard. He stepped up his hard work. He is a very hardworking kid."

8 to 10 HOURS AT THE GROUND

Rana first met Kamboj when the fast bowler was around 10 or 11. His father brought him to the academy, which was some 30-40 kilometres from their village. Initially, the family managed the daily commute before Kamboj moved to Karnal to stay closer to the academy and concentrate on cricket.

"He has been a very disciplined boy right from childhood," Rana says.

"His training routine from childhood has been that he stays at the ground from morning till evening, about eight to ten hours daily. That has played a huge role in building his strength, conditioning and overall fitness."

Even after playing a match, Kamboj would ask for another net or fielding session. Rana says he never made excuses about being tired. The hours at the ground continued as he progressed through the age-group system, from Under-14 to Under-16 and Under-19, before opportunities at higher levels followed.

Kamboj remembers the early years as a time when cricket was simply something he loved doing.

"I just loved playing cricket for fun initially. When I started professionally, I enjoyed it immensely, and it was very motivating. Since I was already on the right track from the beginning, I felt pursuing cricket seriously was the best path forward," he says.

The desire to keep improving remains.

"That has been there from the start naturally. I like to work on myself every day and improve, even if it's just by one per cent. Every single day should involve some improvement so you get better day by day."

Rana says the bowler has remained grounded despite the recognition that has come his way, including his IPL stint. He still stays connected with the academy and calls his coach before a series to discuss the areas he wants to work on.

"His nature has remained exactly the same as when he first came to me at 10 or 11 years old. Fame hasn't changed him at all, unlike some kids who change after getting recognition. He is very grounded and stays well-connected with everyone at the academy," Rana says.

"Even now, before any series, he calls me beforehand to let me know what specific practice he wants to focus on."

THE LOVE FOR RED-BALL CRICKET

The months after Manchester were spent rebuilding through the domestic game. Kamboj played one Duleep Trophy match in the 2025-26 season, taking two wickets, before returning for the 2026-27 edition and picking up five wickets in two matches. In the previous Ranji Trophy season, he claimed 13 wickets in five matches for Haryana.

He also travelled with India A to Sri Lanka in June, before the senior Indian team played two matches there, and featured in two red-ball games against Australia A in Puducherry, where he took six wickets. The opportunities kept him involved in the longer format while he remained outside the Test side.

His first ODI appearance earlier this month brought another challenge. Kamboj conceded 82 runs as the West Indies chased down India's 352 in New Chandigarh. Once again, it was not the kind of debut he would have wanted. But he returned to domestic cricket and made an immediate impact in Haryana's Ranji Trophy opener against Himachal, taking six wickets, including a four-wicket haul 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 involvement will be limited because of 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's conditions.

"I am heading to New Zealand. I am quite excited because it will give me an idea of what lengths I should bowl and what kind of conditions to expect. Since I am going there for the first time, it will give me a good sense of the weather and pitch conditions," he says.

A BOWLER FOR DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

While red-ball cricket has been the foundation of Kamboj's development, the IPL has given him another platform to establish himself. He took 21 wickets in 14 matches for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, developing into a useful option in the death overs despite being a new-ball bowler by trade. His wide yorkers from around the wicket have added another weapon to his repertoire.

There were difficult days, too. 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 assault. Kamboj's approach is to move on quickly.

"The easiest way, though easier said than done, is to overcome that over as quickly as possible without dwelling on it. Focus on what you need to do in the next over rather than thinking about what has already happened," he says.

His time at CSK has also given him the chance to learn through conversations with MS Dhoni. Kamboj says there were no formal sessions in which Dhoni sat him down to discuss bowling, but the everyday exchanges helped him understand the demands of the format.

"Not a formal conversation per se, but conversations happen organically which give you clarity on what kind of mindset you should have. If you focus too much on the results, you won't perform well, so focusing on the process and your work matters a lot more," he says.

Kamboj's thinking changes with the format, even if the fundamentals remain the same.

"In red-ball Test cricket, your primary focus most of the time is on taking wickets, whereas in white-ball cricket, you also focus on restricting runs," he says.

Rana believes Kamboj's foundation in red-ball cricket has helped him adapt to white-ball demands.

"The basics remain the same in terms of coaching. With the white ball, you have to adapt your skills, though Anshul is doing well with the white ball too, like in the IPL. If you look at his initial spells, he has bowled brilliantly in white-ball cricket as well. Red ball has been his foundation since Under-14 cricket."

The next challenge is to turn his Test recall into something more permanent. Kamboj is 25, has made his international debut in two formats and has another opportunity to show that the Manchester outing 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 involve focusing on upcoming tournaments like the World Test Championship or specific bilateral series," he says.

Rana has a similar wish for the youngster he first coached more than a decade ago. "I just want to see Anshul cement his place firmly in the Indian team so he can contribute as much as possible to the country."

For now, Kamboj has another tour ahead of him, another set of conditions to understand and another opportunity to earn his place. The work that brought him back to the Test squad will have to continue when he gets there.