On the second day of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways, spectators got impatient for Virat Kohli to come out to bat. The wait was continued as Delhi's overnight batsmen, Sanat Sangwan and Yash Dhull, managed to build a nice partnership of 67 for the second wicket. Impatience was beginning to grow in the crowd, hoping for some good bowling performance from the Railways bowlers.

Their wait came to a quick halt when, making his first Ranji Trophy appearance in 12 years, Kohli was dismissed for just 6 runs. The once-buzzing stadium echoing "Kohli, Kohli...RCB, RCB" had fallen silent after Kohli made the long walk back to the pavilion.

Himanshu Sangwan's Breakthrough

This incredible achievement was done by Himanshu Sangwan, a right-arm fast bowler for Railways and a senior ticket collector at New Delhi Railway Station. A delivery that was well-placed by Sangwan-a delivery Kohli attempted to drive down the ground. But, the ball swung in, went past Kohli's inside edge, and sent off stump on its way. Just moments before, Kohli had successfully executed the same shot off a similar delivery, but this time, he was caught off guard.

Sangwan's wicket of Kohli was a landmark in his career, and he celebrated by pumping his fist loudly and putting a wide grin on his face. "We didn't have any special plan for Kohli," said Sangwan after the day's play. "Our plan was to bowl the right way, as the batters from Delhi tend to play aggressive. If you restrict their runs, they try to go big and get out. That's what Kohli might have done too."

A Natural Celebration

Commenting on his celebration, Sangwan said, "That was just my natural response. Anyone who has watched me play knows that I always celebrate my wickets in the same way. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary."

Sangwan is 29 years old and is from Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, but he spent much of his childhood in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, which is where his father was posted. He played cricket like most Indian boys of his age but took inspiration from the Under-19 World Cup 2008 victory led by Virat Kohli, particularly from Pradeep Sangwan-inspirational for a player who bears the same surname. .

The Journey to Najafgarh

It is here that Sangwan, aspiring to become a cricketer, moved to Najafgarh, Delhi, to stay with his uncle, and received formal coaching. Interestingly, Pradeep Sangwan also comes from Najafgarh.

After a few years of playing school and club cricket, Sangwan got into the team in Delhi's Under-19, making his debut alongside Rishabh Pant in the 2013 Vinoo Mankad Trophy match. In that match, he captured 1 for 30 but disappointment followed when he was not selected ever after in the junior or senior teams of Delhi.

Persistence Pays Off

Determined to continue his cricketing career, Sangwan focused on his native Haryana and continued playing in district-level and university competitions without getting a sniff of senior cricket. He did land a job with Indian Railways as a ticket collector through the sports quota, ideally through his performances in such competitions.

For the 2018-19 season, he played for Railways in the Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy, where he took 37 wickets over seven matches at the incredible average of 18.21, which got him into the senior team in the season following.

Sangwan has since established himself as a key part of the Railways' bowling unit. Before confronting Delhi, he took 77 wickets in 23 first-class matches at an average of 19.92, with notable scalps including Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, and Ishan Kishan. He also took 21 wickets in 17 List A matches and five in seven T20s.

Establishing Himself in the Railways Team

"When I wasn't being provided with opportunities, Railways has supported me," says Sangwan. "They offered me chances, hence my primary loyalty extends to the Railways team. I don't feel the need to prove anything to someone in Delhi for not selecting me."