With a watchful century, Anmol puts a price on his wicket for Punjab

He was itching to get back after an impressive debut season for Punjab in 2019-20. He scored 468 runs, including three half-centuries and one century. He also had 27 dismissals (25 catches and two stumpings).

Malhotra is not a regular in the white-ball cricket for Punjab and he is also someone who doesn’t have a lucrative IPL contract like his fellow teammates.

“For a player like me, who is not a regular in the white-ball cricket, doesn’t have an IPL contract, it has been a tough couple of years. I had a very good debut season, and the way things were going, I might have made it to the India ‘A’ squad or the Board President XI squad,” Malhotra told The Indian Express.

In his maiden season, at Valsad, where Punjab lost to Gujarat by 110 runs, Malhotra scored his maiden century and gave his team a fighting chance. His brave unbeaten 51 on a dustbowl at Patiala helped Punjab register a four-wicket win over Andhra. (Express Photo)

On a Thursday, on a greenish Kotla track against Haryana, the right-handed batter slammed his second First-Class century and was involved in a valuable 163-run stand with Mandeep Singh. Malhotra scored a 128-ball 100, while former Punjab captain Mandeep Singh remained unbeaten on 130.

When Malhotra walked to bat, Punjab were 165 for 4 and another wicket at that stage could have put Haryana on top. But Malhotra did what he does the best, drop anchor and rebuild the innings in the company of Mandeep. He broke the shackles with a couple of sixes off Nishant Sindhu’s bowling and started a counter-attack.

“It is a green top, and the ball was moving around the entire day. And at that stage, if we had lost a wicket, the match would have turned in Haryana’s favour. Mandy paji (Mandeep) was solid at one end, and I decided to play shots from the other. It worked in our favour,” said Malhotra.

Malhotra has played only 10 first-class matches but has formed a strong bond with his senior batter Mandeep. It was the third time the duo had shared a century partnership.

“I love batting with Mandy paji. There is a lot of assurance when he is at the other end. What worked in our partnership was our running between the wickets. We rotated the strike regularly and played perfect foil to each other,” said Malhotra.

In his maiden season, at Valsad, where Punjab lost to Gujarat by 110 runs, Malhotra scored his maiden century and gave his team a fighting chance. His brave unbeaten 51 on a dustbowl at Patiala helped Punjab register a four-wicket win over Andhra.

Malhotra has been known as the crisis man for Punjab since his junior cricket days. He was part of teams that won two Colonel C K Nayudu Trophies and an under-23 one-day cup.
He owes his temperament to the grind of junior cricket. “I love batting under pressure. I have played in all possible age-groups for Punjab and have been in such situations numerous times. Tricky situations bring the best out of me,” he said.

Accidental keeper

Malhotra was a middle-order batsman and a budding leg spinner in childhood when his coaches, Kiran Kumar and Dilip Yadav, asked him to don the wicket-keeping gloves. “I was 10 and captain of our academy. We had no wicketkeeper available in one match, and I was asked to keep. From then on, leg-spin took a back seat,” he shared.

Malhotra grew up in a middle-class working family in Patiala, where his father, Rajkumar Malhotra, was a manager in Punjab National Bank, while his mother, Rajneesh Malhotra, worked for the Indian Railways.

“Even though no one in the family was into any sport, I received great support from my parents for cricket. During Covid-19, when there was no cricket, my parents supported me thoroughly. I want to give them a good life and hopefully one day a house of their own,” he signed off.

Brief Scores

Punjab 1st innings: 368 for 5 in 88 overs (Mandeep Singh 130 not out, Anmol Malhotra 100; Ajit Chahal 2/55, Anshul Kamboj 2/83)

Other storylines

Rahane 0, Pujara 8

Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, and pacer Ishant Sharma had disappointing outings on Day 1 in their respective matches. Ishant Sharma playing for Delhi, bowled only four overs against Jharkhand. Rahane was out for a three-ball duck against Goa. The right-handed batter was trapped by Lakshya Garg, who bagged a six-wicket haul. Pujara scored only 8 in Saurashtra’s first innings against Odisha.

India U-19 stars

Yash Dhull: Following back-to-back centuries against Tamil Nadu, India Under-19 captain Dhull managed only five runs in the first innings against Jharkhand.

Raj Bawa: All-rounder Bawa scored a fighting 32 against Baroda as Chandigarh got bundled out for a paltry 168. In reply, Baroda were 80 for 1 at the stumps.

Vicky Ostwal: Left-arm spinner Ostwal, making his first-class debut for Maharashtra, went wicketless against Vidarbha. Ostwal bowled 23 overs and conceded 53 runs. Batting first, Vidarbha were 270 for 3.

Nishant Sindhu: Haryana’s Sindhu had an off day in the field. The all-rounder was taken to the cleaners by Punjab batters. The left-arm spinner leaked 94 runs in his 19 overs.

Shaik Rasheed: India Under-19 vice-captain and Andhra’s No.3 Rasheed scored 23 runs on his first-class debut against Services. Andhra were 277 for 3 at the end of the day’s play.