Engineer by day, cricketer by night: Unlikely journey of DPL Purple Cap winner Anshuman

From Laptop to Leather Ball: Anshuman Hooda's Late-Bloomer Rise

New Delhi, 04 Sep — Meet Anshuman Hooda, 25, an engineer by day and a genuine pace threat by night. Once convinced cricket had run its course, he's now the Delhi Premier League's Purple Cap holder (22 wickets) and a key reason South Delhi Superstarz lifted the title. But this isn't a typical cricketing story.

No Path, All Heart

No agegroup cricket. No Ranji pathway. Just an engineering degree from Delhi Technological University (DTU) and a stable job at EY. Anshuman actually tried the U23 trials twice and quit thinking—making the "sensible" call to walk away. His mom, a school teacher, is now proud he's pursuing cricket with a job behind him.

The Roller Skater Who Found Fast Bowling

Here's the twist: he started on roller skates, not a cricket academy. National-level roller skater, cricket was just "around him." He only fell in love with fast bowling in college—raw pace, natural arm speed, that aggression. Coach Harish Dagar (Delhi Cricket Hub) spotted the physical package in 2019 and said: "If you don't keep up fitness, your natural pace will get you hurt."

Mind Over Matter

Working from home, he juggled gym + job + night sessions. Dagar's secret? "I worked on his mind 80-85%. Made him never feel tired." Periodisation, diet, physio, stock ball + legcutter/offcutter—they built not just a fast delivery, but a fast bowler.

Shikhar Dhawan's Blessing

The validation? DPL team owner Shikhar Dhawan personally gave him tips and direction. "A moment of validation for someone outside the conventional pathway."

The Big Question: Job or Cricket?

At 140 kmph, he's got the pace. But accuracy keeps bowlers in teams. He's now eyeing endurance for red-ball spells. And here's the honest dilemma—he got a promotion, but says: "I might shift my whole focus to cricket and give it my all."

Delhi → First-class → IPL → India. The late bloomer is just getting started. 🏏

Source: Times of India