One month on from a costly debut in One Day Internationals (ODI), India’s fast bowler Anshul Kamboj turned the tide in Auckland, delivering figures of 2 for 22 in his second ODI and earning the Player of the Match award as India secured a five-wicket win over New Zealand.
Reflecting on his improved performance, Kamboj remarked, “One bad match does not decide a player’s career. I have been doing the same things right from the start. One bad match doesn’t affect me much. It has only given me the motivation to do better. I don’t pay attention to the chatter. I focus on my cricket and see how I can improve.”
Kamboj’s debut was marked by conceding 82 runs in nine overs against the West Indies on what was a challenging flat pitch in New Chandigarh. However, Eden Park provided seam movement that aided Kamboj in finding his rhythm. This marked contrast in conditions played a significant role in his successful second outing.
“In cricket, if you focus more on the process than the result, then [you will be alright],” he explained. “If you are executing well, if you want to bowl a yorker, if you execute well, and still go for runs, then there’s no problem. You don’t focus on the result, because the result won’t always be in your favour. What you can do is you can execute well.”
He also shared feedback he received after his debut: “The feedback [after his ODI debut] was that if you are bowling in good areas, then you should continue it. It’s not necessary that if you execute well every time, you will get hit for runs every time. So, just focus on your execution as much as possible. Don’t think too much about the result.”
Inserted into the attack as the first change bowler in the eighth over on the day, Kamboj began with a maiden and maintained pressure despite aggressive batting from Tim Seifert. He eventually dismissed Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith, finishing with highly economical figures. His performance was reminiscent of Javagal Srinath’s economical spell in 2003.
Kamboj articulated the importance of creating pressure in bowling partnerships: “If someone is bowling well from one end, then you get a wicket from the other end. So, that’s it. You just have to create as much pressure as possible.”
He further discussed the nuances of ODI cricket compared to T20s, explaining how the format allows exploiting conditions with new balls from each end, particularly in the initial overs. His disciplined approach highlighted an understanding of making the most of the game’s intricacies, lending insight into his future potential on the international stage.
