Even the bus driver told me to bowl at fourth-fifth stump line to Virat Kohli: Himanshu Sangwan

Himanshu Sangwan became a sought-after figure in domestic cricket after dismissing Virat Kohli on his return to the Ranji Trophy after more than 12 years. Playing for Railways against Delhi, the right-arm seamer cleaned up the former India captain with a beautiful delivery that seamed back after pitching at the Arun Jaitley Stadium last week.

Days after the dismissal, Sangwan revealed that everyone in the Railways team believed that he would get Kohli out. The legendary batter has struggled against deliveries bowled outside the off-stump. Sangwan said that the bus driver also told him to bowl in the fourth-fifth stump line to get the better of Kohli. However, the 29-year-old decided to back his strengths rather than trying to exploit the batter's weakness. The move paid dividends for him as the Najafgarh-born picked up the biggest wicket of his career.

"Before the match, there were talks about Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant going to play for Delhi. At the time, we didn't know that the match would be aired live. We slowly learned that Rishabh Pant wouldn't play, but Virat would, and the match would be streamed live. I am leading the Railways' pace attack. Every team member told me that they thought I would dismiss Virat Kohli," Sangwan told HT.

"The bus in which we were travelling, even the bus driver told me that you know that you need to bowl at the fourth-fifth stump line to Virat Kohli, and then he will get out. I had self-belief. I just wanted to focus on my own strengths rather than someone else's weaknesses. I bowled to my strengths and ended up getting the wicket," he added.

Sangwan said that there was no pre-determined bowling plan against Kohli. He recalled that the coaches told them to bowl disciplined lines against the Delhi batters as they are known for playing aggressive cricket.

"There was no specific plan for Virat Kohli in general. The coaches told us that the players from Delhi like to play attacking cricket. They are all stroke players. We were told to bowl a disciplined line," said the 29-year-old.

Virat bhaiya himself shook hands with me and said, 'Very well bowled': Himanshu Sangwan

Sangwan also revealed that Kohli shook his hand during the match and praised him for the way he was bowling. Later, Sangwan went to the Delhi dressing room carrying the ball which he had dismissed Kohli. The right-arm speedster got the legendary cricketer's autograph on the ball.

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"When our innings ended, I was going to the dressing room and Virat Kohli was coming to the field. Ayush Badoni and Virat were there. Virat bhaiya himself shook hands with me and said, 'Very well bowled'. He told me that I was bowling well. I then told him I wanted to take a picture with him during the lunch break. I went to Delhi's dressing room. I took the same ball with which I got him out. He even asked me whether it was the same ball. He then said jokingly, 'Oh teri ki. Maza aa gaya tujhe toh'," he further added.