At Eden Park in Wellington, Anshul Kamboj delivered a match-winning bowling performance in India’s first ODI against New Zealand. The 25-year-old Haryana pacer completed a 10-over spell with figures of 2 for 22, maintaining an economy rate of 2.20 while bowling 46 dot balls. His disciplined bowling helped restrict New Zealand’s batting in a rain-affected contest that saw India chase down a revised target of 143 runs in 22.4 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. Kamboj was named Player of the Match for his performance.
Speaking about his bowling approach, Kamboj explained the foundation of his success during the match. He emphasised the importance of consistency and sticking to a clear plan rather than being distracted by pitch conditions.
“I think the key was just consistent length and line, not thinking about how the wicket is behaving, just the basic plan, bowling on right lines and right areas,” Kamboj said in the post match press conference.
What role did the wobble seam play in Kamboj’s success?
Kamboj struck twice in quick succession to dismantle New Zealand’s middle order. In the 27th over, he dismissed captain Mitchell Santner, who managed only 4 runs off 16 balls. One over later, Nathan Smith offered a simple chance to Virat Kohli after scoring just 1 run off 9 balls, leaving New Zealand at 115 for 7. These two wickets proved crucial in restricting the opposition’s total.
When asked about the wobble seam delivery and its role in his success, Kamboj highlighted how the pitch conditions complemented his bowling technique. He explained that while the wobble seam was effective, the primary focus remained on executing the right length consistently.
“I think the wobble seam ball was working very well, so I was using that again and again,” Kamboj said.
Kamboj elaborated on his approach to reading the pitch and adjusting his bowling strategy. He stressed the importance of studying batsmen’s strengths and weaknesses while maintaining focus on line and length.
“Just working on lengths and good lines, and just looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the batsmen and just working on that,” Kamboj said.
How important was reading the pitch for Kamboj?
When discussing the significance of pitch awareness, Kamboj reiterated that understanding what was happening on the surface was essential to selecting the right delivery and length for each situation.
“You just have to look at the wicket and see what is happening on the wicket, what is the best ball to bowl, what is the right length to bowl, just focus on that,” Kamboj said.
India’s successful chase was built on strong batting performances. Virat Kohli scored 74 off 51 balls, while Shubman Gill contributed 37 runs. The chase was supported by India’s bowling attack, with Arshdeep Singh claiming 4 wickets and Gurnoor Brar taking 3 wickets to restrict New Zealand’s total. The second ODI was scheduled for Saturday, November 7 at Henry Stadium in Wellington.
