Himanshu Sangwan, the Railways pacer became talk of the town by dismissing Virat Kohli in their Ranji Trophy match against Delhi on January 31. The crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, who had gathered to watch Kohli bat, enjoyed the spectacle while it lasted. However, when Sangwan uprooted Kohli's off-stump in the 28th over of Delhi's first innings, a large portion of the spectators quickly departed.
Sangwan, clearly aware of how big it was to dismiss a world-class batsman, celebrated with a jubilant leap as Kohli's stumps went cartwheeling. The stadium, moments before filled with cheers for Kohli, fell silent.
Sangwan has demonstrated a knack for taking crucial wickets throughout his domestic career. His list of notable scalps includes Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, and Prithvi Shaw, among others, further highlighting his ability to perform against top-order batsmen.
Who is Himanshu Sangwan's idol?
Meanwhile, five years ago Sangwan revealed his favourite bowler. He had said that Australia legend Glenn McGrath is his idol and during his stint at THe MRF Pace Foundation he learnt a lot from him
"I take inspiration from Australia legend Glenn McGrath. He is my idol. I learnt a lot from McGrath during my stint at the MRF Pace Foundation. I was there for a short camp. He used to watch my videos and tell me the areas where I should improve," Sangwan had told The Times of India five years ago.
The once-frequent chants of "RCB, RCB" and "Kohli, Kohli" subsided as the superstar made his way back to the dressing room. For Railways' Himanshu Sangwan, this wicket represented the most prized scalp of his career.
Prior to this Ranji Trophy match, Kohli had been preparing for his first domestic red-ball appearance since November 2012. He had worked with former India coach Sanjay Bangar to address certain flaws that had emerged in his batting during the tour of Australia.
All about Himanshu Sangwan
Sangwan, a ticket collector from Old Delhi, was born in 1995 in Najafgarh, the same area that produced veteran batsman Virender Sehwag. While Sangwan represented Delhi at the Under-19 level, his First Class career took a different path, leading him to Railways, where he has since established himself.
The 29-year-old right-arm pacer has played 23 First Class matches, taking an impressive 77 wickets at an average of just 19.92. His record includes six four-wicket hauls and three five-wicket hauls, with a best bowling performance of 7 for 81.
Sangwan's white-ball record, however, is less impressive. He has taken 21 wickets in 17 List A matches and only five wickets in seven T20 matches. His best performance in white-ball cricket came with a four-wicket haul, conceding 44 runs.
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