Fast bowler Anshul Kamboj’s journey has been a dramatic turnaround since a miserable India Test debut last year in England. He played a single match in Manchester after injury concerns within the Indian camp, then returned figures of 1/89 in a high-scoring game that finished level. In that outing, he appeared heavy and struggled to consistently control his deliveries.
Less than a year later, Kamboj looks like a different prospect. In the ongoing Indian Premier League, he has been strikingly impressive for Chennai Super Kings, showing a noticeable improvement in fitness and rhythm. His transformation has been visible match after match, with his bowling now looking sharp and purposeful.
Quick facts
- Anshul Kamboj is a 25-year-old pacer who has improved sharply since India’s Test debut in England last year.
- In his Manchester Test appearance, he recorded 1/89 in a match that ended in a draw.
- In the Ranji Trophy, he is noted for taking all 10 wickets in an innings (only the third bowler to do so).
- In nine IPL matches so far, he has taken 17 wickets.
- He is tied with Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the lead in wicket-taking, while he sits behind Bhuvi on economy rate.
- Kamboj’s economy rate is 8.49, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s is 7.54.
- In a match versus Mumbai Indians at the Chidambaram Stadium, he took three wickets and helped CSK set up an easy win.
- Will Jacks, Hardik Pandya and Robin Minz were among the batters dismissed by Kamboj.
So far in the season, Kamboj has produced 17 wickets from nine games, placing him level with Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Royal Challengers Bengaluru as the joint highest wicket-taker. However, in the Purple Cap race, he remains behind Bhuvi on economy, with 8.49 compared to Bhuvneshwar’s 7.54. The numbers underline how he has gone beyond just taking wickets—he has also offered steady control for CSK.
On Saturday night, the right-arm pacer delivered a decisive spell in a key contest against Mumbai Indians at the Chidambaram Stadium. Kamboj claimed three wickets and swung the momentum early, laying the foundation for CSK’s comfortable victory. Will Jacks, Hardik Pandya and Robin Minz fell to his bowling as CSK tightened the contest and kept MI under pressure throughout.
“A complete T20 bowler”
Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has been particularly impressed by Kamboj’s overall impact this season. In Rayudu’s view, Kamboj currently looks like a complete T20 bowler—someone who can be effective across phases of an innings rather than only in one role. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut, Rayudu highlighted the importance of executing skills in the powerplay, the middle overs, and the death.
Rayudu argued that very few bowlers manage to do all three phases well at the IPL level. He said Kamboj’s powerplay effectiveness, his control in the middle, and his improvements at the end of innings place him among the best bowling options the league has seen, because most bowlers cannot deliver in every phase to a similar standard. Rayudu further pointed to how Kamboj’s death bowling has improved, especially his angle around the stumps and his ability to land yorkers consistently, calling it an impressive feat that is not easy to achieve.
As the season progresses, Kamboj has also started to show a clearer bowling plan. His recent performances suggest he is executing strategies rather than simply relying on pace and effort. The sense is that he has found a method that suits his strengths, particularly in the later overs where precision becomes even more critical.
McClenaghan links it to CSK’s approach
Mitchell McClenaghan, a former Mumbai Indians pacer and a four-time IPL winner, weighed in on Kamboj’s progress as well. He pointed to the influence of CSK’s framework, referencing the “old CSK blueprint” that previously featured players like Bravo and noting that bowling coach Eric Simons is still part of the setup. McClenaghan said CSK have a clear preference for bowlers who can come around the wicket.
He then added that the biggest difference may have come from what Kamboj was doing before joining CSK. In McClenaghan’s assessment, earlier he may not have had a complete plan or a defined idea of what he wanted to do at the death. Now, he believes Kamboj has discovered something tangible and effective—something that has helped him find his identity in the final overs.
