Focus on Anshul Kamboj as India gears up for must-win Test against England
'Welcome to Manchester, man!' Siraj told the young fast bowler, who had joined the team on Sunday, following Arshdeep Singh's thumb injury.
The youngster smiled, and over the next hour, he toiled hard in the nets, bowling long spells alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.
With the series on the line, Bumrah will be available for the fourth Test, which begins on Wednesday at Old Trafford. While Siraj is an automatic choice, Arshdeep and Akash Deep, yet to recover fully from a groin niggle, have been ruled out. India's third seaming option is now limited, and there are indications that the 24-year-old Kamboj may be drafted into the playing eleven.
Known for his skiddy deliveries and the ability to extract a sharp bounce when needed, Kamboj was recently part of the India A squad for the two unofficial Tests. In the second match in Northampton, he claimed a four-wicket haul, including two in a single over in the second innings.
READ: Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of remaining ENG vs IND Test series, Arshdeep Singh to miss Manchester clash
That experience could come in handy for the 24-year-old.
He bowled long spells to K.L. Rahul, Shubman Gill, and then Rishabh Pant in the nets. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and Morne Morkel had frequent conversations with the youngster, perhaps initiating him to the rigours of Test cricket.
Kamboj looked at ease and often challenged batters with his pace. Midway through the session, he was spotted deep in discussion with Bumrah and Siraj, while national selectors Ajit Agarkar and Shiv Sundar Das watched from a distance, taking notes.
Coming on the back of a successful First Class stint, where he claimed 79 wickets in 24 games for Haryana, Kamboj has also proved his mettle with the bat as he forged an unbeaten 149-run stand with Tanush Kotian to help India A force a draw during the match in Nottingham.
ALSO READ: Farokh Engineer and Clive Lloyd to have stands named after them at Old Trafford during ENG vs IND 4th Test
While Bumrah's presence will be a major boost, the real test lies in how the newcomers in the bowling unit cope with the pressure. 'The combination is changing by the day. Our plan is to bowl in good areas, considering how the England batters played with a lot of patience in the last match,' Siraj said.
The team management may also consider tweaking the bowling combination, potentially favouring Kuldeep Yadav over Washington Sundar, given that the Old Trafford surface is expected to assist wrist spinners.
Pant ready for 'keeping duties
After missing his wicketkeeping duties during the Lord's Test due to a left index finger injury, Pant had an extended session behind the stumps on Monday.
Initially monitored by fielding coach T. Dilip, Pant later joined a slip-catching drill alongside Rahul, Gill, Karun Nair, and B. Sai Sudharsan. He looked comfortable throughout and is expected to keep wickets.
Meanwhile, there are signs the team management may hand Sai Sudharsan the No. 3 spot, following a string of underwhelming performances from Karun.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
25 minutes ago
- India Today
Khaleel Ahmed cuts short Essex stint due to personal reasons, returns home early
India's left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed has cut short his stint with English county side Essex owing to personal reasons, the club confirmed on Monday. The 26-year-old, who had joined Essex in June for what was supposed to be a two-month spell covering both red and white-ball formats, returned home after featuring in just two first-class matches in the ongoing County contract was initially meant to see him through until late September. He was expected to play in six County Championship matches - essentially the remainder of Essex's red-ball season - and a maximum of ten List A fixtures in the Royal London One-Day Cup. However, his involvement was limited to just two red-ball games, in which he claimed four wickets at an average of 64.50."While we are disappointed to see him leave, we fully support Khaleel's decision and are grateful for the contributions he made during his time with us," Essex said in an official statement. The club did not disclose further details about the nature of the personal reasons prompting his early return. Khaleel had joined Essex on the back of a notable red-ball performance for India A, where he picked up figures of 4 for 70 in a first-class match against the England Lions. That spell, combined with his left-arm angle and white-ball credentials, had made him an attractive late-season addition to the Essex squad. His signing was announced in mid-June, and he linked up with the side shortly he struggled to make a significant impact in his brief outing for Essex, the stint was seen as an opportunity for Khaleel to get more red-ball exposure in overseas conditions, particularly with the Indian selectors keeping an eye on seam bowling options ahead of a packed international who last represented India in 2019, has played 11 One-Day Internationals and 14 T20Is, collecting 15 and 13 wickets respectively. In the longer format, he has featured in 22 first-class matches, taking 60 wickets at an average of 30.13. While his white-ball exploits are more widely known, he has quietly built up a respectable red-ball record for his domestic side was also part of last year's Duleep Trophy campaign and is expected to be in contention once again as the inter-zonal tournament returns to kickstart India's red-ball domestic season on 28 August. The early end to his County stint may yet allow him to re-integrate into domestic preparations with Rajasthan or his zonal side ahead of that fixture.- Ends
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
CSK Star Quits County Cricket After Just 2 Matches. Reason Is...
Khaleel Ahmed's time with Essex has wrapped up earlier than planned, with the Indian fast bowler heading back home for personal reasons after making just two appearances in the ongoing County Championship. Initially signed for a two-month spell, Khaleel was slated to play six first-class matches along with up to ten List A games in the One-Day Cup. But his stint was cut short after he picked up only four wickets at an average of 64.50 in his two outings. Essex had roped in the left-arm pacer in June, shortly after his impressive 4 for 70 performance for India A against the England Lions in a red-ball fixture. Viewed as a useful addition for the club's red-ball campaign, Khaleel was expected to add depth and experience to the bowling lineup through to late September. Despite the early exit, he was seen as a valuable addition when he arrived. In a statement confirming his departure, Essex said, "While we are disappointed to see him leave, we fully support Khaleel's decision and are grateful for the contributions he made during his time with us." Khaleel, who last represented India in 2019, has featured in 11 ODIs, picking up 15 wickets at an average of 31.00. Domestically, he remains an important part of Rajasthan's bowling attack and was part of last year's Duleep Trophy squad. In his overall first-class career, Khaleel has taken 60 wickets in 22 matches at an average of 30.13. He is also likely to be in contention for the upcoming inter-zonal Duleep Trophy, which marks the start of India's red-ball domestic calendar from August 28. In IPL 2025, Khaleel turned out for Chennai Super Kings, picking up 15 wickets from 14 matches at an economy rate of 9.57. While his performances were mixed, his ability to provide early breakthroughs kept him in the spotlight throughout the campaign.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Sourav Ganguly Gives Clear-Cut Instruction To Gautam Gambhir For 5th Test, Tells Him To Pick This Star
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly advised head coach Gautam Gambhir to play spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the fifth and final Test of the series against England at The Oval. India's spirited fightback in the fourth Test at Old Trafford salvaged a draw for the visiting side on the final day. With the five-match series currently led by England 2-1, the former India captain is confident that the visiting team can win the series finale if they choose the "right bowling attack" and continue their batting momentum. "I advise Gambhir to play Kuldeep Yadav in the fifth Test and pick the right bowling attack. If we continue to bat like this, we can win at The Oval," Ganguly told IANS. On India's performance with the bat in Manchester, Ganguly said after putting up such a stellar show, the team must be reflecting on their Lord's result, which they lost by 22 runs while chasing a mere target of 193. "This is a young team, we have to give some time to them as the team is rebuilding. The way they batted in the fourth innings yesterday, where they scored more than 400, India will feel bad that they lost the Lord's Test. They batted really well on the fifth day in Manchester, the 190 should have been achieved at the Lord's," the former left-handed batter said. "After a long time, many Indian batters have scored so many runs in an overseas Test series. This is something that makes me happy and is a good sign for Indian cricket. These young players will play for a long time for the country, and their performances in England will certainly give them a lot of confidence. If we improve our bowling, we can win at The Oval," Ganguly added. The veteran cricketer further lauded wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for performing consistently on the tour. Pant, who sustained a right foot fracture in the fourth Test, has been ruled out of the final Test of the series. "He is a very good Test player. He is injured and his foot was fractured; he will take time to recover. He has batted brilliantly in the series," Ganguly said of Pant. "India played good cricket and saved the Test match after batting for more than 140 overs. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar played really well," the southpaw added. The fifth and final Test of the series will be played at The Oval in London from Thursday.
