The young wicket-keeper batsman from Punjab, Anmol Malhotra, averages over 50 in first-class cricket. The solid middle-order batsman made his debut for the Punjab Ranji Trophy team in 2019 and has had a very topsy-turvy journey since then. He was in a sublime form when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Indian shores and disrupted life. However, after the disappointment of 2020-21, Anmol has made a roaring comeback in Ranji Trophy 2022.
The Patiala-born cricketer is currently playing the Ranji Trophy league matches in Delhi. He shrugged off all the doubts regarding his form with a brilliant century against Haryana a few days ago as he, along with Mandeep Singh, led his team to a comfortable victory by ten wickets.
In this exclusive interview, Anmol Malhotra talks about his journey, experiences, and the impact of Covid-19 on him. To add a little fun to our chat, we had an exciting rapid-fire session with Anmol towards the end.
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Excerpts:
How was your journey from childhood to becoming a wicket-keeper batsman?
I started playing cricket when I was 10 years old. Since I was a kid, I mainly played in academies. But when I was selected for the Punjab U-16 team, I decided to take up cricket as a career.
How did you find your interest in wicket-keeping?
Actually, the club for which I used to play, did not have a wicket-keeper at that time. So, my coach asked me to step up and try wicket-keeping since I was the captain of the team. Ever since I started wicket-keeping, I never left it.
Playing for Punjab, you got the chance to meet legends such as Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh. Could you tell us a bit about what did you learn from them as a player?
I learnt a lot from them. Their work ethics, how they prepare themselves before a match, and how they think. Moreover, I got to learn about their practice intensity, workout routine, and much more. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.
Do you remember your first meeting with them?
I first met Harbhajan Paaji in 2014, when I received my first call up for the Punjab senior team. Though I did not play any match that season, but I got the opportunity to share the dressing room with them where I learnt a lot. I was very young back then, but it was a fun experience sharing the dressing room with such a legend.
You scored your very first century for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy against Gujarat in 2019. The Gujarat bowling lineup had Piyush Chawla, the latest sensation Arzan Nagwaswala and many other high-quality bowlers. So that 100 must have been really special for you since it was your maiden century, that too against such an amazing bowling lineup. Walk us through your feeling after hitting that 100…
It was a wonderful feeling indeed. The first one is always special. Moreover, our team was lagging since five of our players had got out at about 30–40 runs. So, it was a big thing for me to step up at such a crucial moment and hit the century. Not to mention, it was a great experience to have done that against a star-studded bowling lineup.
As we know, you joined the Punjab team in 2014, made your debut in 2016, and had a phenomenal 2019-20 season. However, as things started looking good for you after that 2019-20 Ranji Trophy, the subsequent season of the tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a player, how big of a setback was it for you?
I suffered a huge loss because of it as I was at my peak at that time. I was in a good form and a lot of opportunities could have come my way, but the pandemic was unforeseeable and nothing could have been done about it. Everything closed down for a year. We did have the white ball season after that, but the cancellation of the Ranji Trophy was a big setback for me.
How did the pandemic affect you as an athlete and as a common citizen of India? Especially the second wave…
The second wave was still fine. But during the first wave, the practice had completely stopped. I had to, however, carry out my fitness and workout routine at home. The main loss was in practice since a player who is used to the field tends to get exhausted at home.
How did the BCCI and the Punjab Cricket Association support you financially during these two years?
The BCCI compensated us for the year in which no matches were played. We received half of what we used to get for a complete season.
The new Ranji Trophy season is starting soon and as a player, switching between the formats is never easy. But it must be much more difficult for you since first-class cricket is returning after two years. So, as a player, how difficult does it get for you to mould yourself into a relatively new format? Since the format is returning after a long gap, it won’t be wrong enough to term it as “relatively new”.
Note: This exclusive interview with Anmol Malhotra was taken few days before the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 began.
It is very difficult and the team was facing a lot of problems while we were practicing in Chandigarh. As you said, red-ball cricket has not been played since 2020. And this format is considered the toughest format in cricket, hence adjusting to it is a bit difficult, but we received a lot of time to practice and we are learning to get better.
The last question before moving on to the rapid-fire round. A lot of players have publically shared their opinions about life in bio-bubbles. How has been your experience with them?
I have actually become quite habituated to it and do not feel awkward about the situation. We know that it is for our own safety and we should follow the norms accordingly.
Rapid-Fire Round
Which sports do you like the most, other than cricket?
Other than cricket, I would like to play football and badminton.
Who is your favourite Indian captain to date?
MS Dhoni
Favourite car?
I would love to drive BMW.
Favourite web series?
Money heist.
Favourite Actor and actress?
Alia Bhatt and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Favourite childhood hero?
Superman
Favourite wicket-keeper?
MS Dhoni
Favourite travel destination in India and abroad?
I would love to travel to London. And in India, I would like to
visit Leh-Ladakh.
Favourite format in cricket?
Test cricket for sure.
Favourite team in IPL?
Mumbai Indians
Favourite moment in cricket?
My first hundred in first-class cricket is my favourite moment till now.
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