Who is Anshul Kamboj? 3 interesting facts about MI's newest debutant in IPL 2024

The Mumbai Indians (MI) rolled a new dice when they handed a debut to medium pacer Anshul Kamboj against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Wankhede Stadium on May 6, Monday.

MI do not have the opportunity to qualify for the playoffs this season and have decided to test their bench strength. This is one of the reasons why Kamboj has been brought in.

He replaced Gerald Coetzee in the playing XI, which means that the hosts will play this game with just two overseas players. However, they have the option of bringing in Dewald Brevis or Romario Shepherd as impact substitutes later on.

In this listicle, we take a look at three interesting facts about Anshul Kamboj.

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#1. He has played for India U-19

One of the most interesting facts about Kamboj is that he has represented India Under-19 in the past, which means that he has been a part of the program run at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru by VVS Laxman.

Kamboj was monitored closely by the coaches, physios, and trainers there, which has helped him work on his bowling and improve his skills. He has also benefitted from the state-of-the-art facilities present at the NCA.

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#2 Anshul Kamboj is the second Indian player to make his debut for MI this season

What will enthrall supporters of MI is that he is the second Indian player after Naman Dhir to make his debut for the franchise this campaign. Kamboj was picked up for his base price of ₹20 Lakh by MI in the auction held before this season.

While Dhir made his debut for MI against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad earlier this campaign, Kamboj stepped out for the Blues for the first time against SRH at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.

Having made his debut for as storied a franchise as MI will surely give Anshul Kamboj a lot of confidence to work on his game and become a better player.

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#3 He rose to fame in the 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy

Although the 23-year-old made his first-class debut for Haryana in the Ranji Trophy against Tripura in the 2021-22 season, he rose to fame with his performances in the 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Kamboj picked up 17 wickets in 10 games in the one-day tournament and played a major role in his state Haryana winning the title.

The medium pacer has played in 13 first-class, 15 List A, and nine T20 games up till now, having picked up 24 wickets already in the former. The Karnal-born lad's stellar performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy won him plaudits and brought him to the notice of the MI scouts.