The crowd hurled abuses at Himanshu Sangwan after he castled Virat Kohli for 6 on the second day of the Ranji Trophy fixture between Delhi and Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Sangwan remained unfazed by the grumbles he received from the despairing 10,000-strong crowd in the stadium and he greeted the scalp, with a smile on his face as Kohli was packed off for 6 off 15 deliveries, though Delhi finished the day on 334-7 in response to Railways’ first innings 241.
“When I went back to the boundary line people were saying things. Yaar, hum Kohli ko dekhne aaye aur aapne out kar diya, kuch gaaliyan bhi thi (We came here to watch Virat Kohli bat and there were few abuses also),” he told The Indian Express after the day’s play.
“However after a while, a group of boys also cheered me and congratulated me for my good bowling,” he laughed.
On the morning of the match, the 29-year-old seamer was like any regular first-class bowler in India. Sangwan has played his U-19 cricket for Delhi and made his debut with Rishabh Pant in 2013-14. He hails from Charki Dadri in Haryana but grew up in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, where his parents — father Surendra Singh Sangwan is a bank manager and his mother Bhagwan Rati a teacher.
But within minutes of dismissing Kohli, the Railways seamer was trending on social media and a fake Instagram account was created in his name. He is just glad that he has kept his Instagram closed.
“My social media accounts are closed. I am a private person. I didn’t get the chance to open my phone. I am sure there will be lots of congratulatory messages.”
Meanwhile, Delhi’s captain Ayush Badoni, who sacrificed his No 4 position for the returning Kohli, played a counter-attacking knock to rescue Delhi after Virat Kohli’s wicket triggered a mini-collapse from 86-3 to 97-4. Delhi lost opener Sanat Sangwan to Himanshu in his next over.
Badoni missed a well-deserved century for a run after he failed to connect the sweep shot and got out for a impactful 99. Badoni’s knock was studded with 12 fours and three sixes and it was his 133-run stand for the fifth wicket with Sumit Mathur (78 not out off 189), which helped Delhi get past Railways total. At stumps, Delhi had the crucial lead of 93 runs.
Virat Kohli’s return to Ranji Trophy after 12 years and three months lasted for 15 balls after Railways’ seamer Sangwan, a senior ticket collector who now worked at the New Delhi Railway Station, stunned the chirpy crowd.
The euphoria around Kohli lasted 21 minutes as Sangwan sent his off-stump for a cartwheel. A dejected Kohli shook his head, stayed there for a fraction of a second, watched the clattered stumps, and slowly walked off to the dugout.
“It is the most important wicket of my life. There was no special plan, I just wanted to stick to my strength, which is bowl full,” Sangwan said.
Kohli was greeted with a huge roar after Yash Dhull’s dismissal. The crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was waiting for this moment for the past three days. The administrators were busy having one meeting after another to get everything right and the broadcasters had built up the match for this moment.
All eyes were on Kohli and he opened his account on the fifth ball with a gentle tap to short cover.
Kohli did not look comfortable even for one moment, however. Sangwan may have gotten the wicket but Kunal Yadav troubled Kohli the most with movement and bounce.
In the third ball of the 27th over of Delhi’s innings, Kohli’s outside edge was beaten twice by Yadav. It was the sixth stump line, which has been Kohli’s weakness. The Railways’ seamer exploited it again. The next ball, the ball was pitched around the fifth stump line and Kohli was beaten again. Yadav kept luring Kohli into playing a drive.
In the following over, Sangwan attacked Kohli’s stumps. The former Indian captain, who was batting inside the crease looked frustrated with the lack of pace from Sangwan. After watching a couple of balls, he walked down and played a powerful straight drive down the ground for a boundary. It was more of an angry shot from Kohli rather than a shot of authority. From the stands, though, it elicited more chants of ‘Kohli, Kohli!’
It was the next ball which Sangwan probably will never forget. He pulled his length a bit, the ball hit the seam, just outside the off-stump, and Kohli, who was looking to dominate Sangwan, went for a drive. His attempted shot opened up a gap between bat and pad and the ball went through it.
“A ball before he hammered me for a boundary. I was charged up and the crowd also motivated me. I pulled my length back. It was a dream delivery that every fast bowler imagines to get a wicket. It pitches on the seam, goes through the gates. The celebration came out very naturally. I might not get this chance again,” he said.
Sangwan celebrated as he should. It was a memorable wicket for a journeyman. The celebration also led the crowd to desert the Kotla, and they like Kohli started their slow walk outside the stadium.
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