With action like R Ashwin, Mumbai’s 6-foot-4 offie Himanshu Singh hopes to make the journey from UP count

Next day, Himanshu boarded a train and reached Mumbai to stay with his uncle in a crowded Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building near Khar Subway.

For a boy from Sultanpur, it wasn’t an easy choice. He still remembers how his mother was weeping as they were packing their bags and his father was making them understand that he is doing this for their future.

“It was a tough sight to see. Maa bahut ro rahi thi but father knew what he was doing and initially it was tough to be in Mumbai but we had no options other than to try and succeed. The best part of Mumbai is the opportunities it gives. One can play many club games entire year,” Himanshu says.

After playing all age groups, till 2024, the 21-year-old Himanshu has now played two Ranji Trophy games, and was called up to bowl to the Indian team in the nets before the Bangladesh series during the preparation camp in Chennai.

In the last Ranji Trophy game against Tripura Himanshu finished with six wickets in one inning. When offie Tanush Kotian was picked for India A, the Mumbai Ranji side decided to give their 21-year-old offie a longer rope.

His senior teammates say Himanshu’s ability to get bounce off the pitch, with his towering frame, makes him tough to handle. His action is similar to offie R Ashwin’s, though he is 2 inches taller at 6’4″.

A student of Al-Barakat School in Mumbai, Himanshu started off as a batsman but his coaches in school felt he had the potential to become a good all-rounder. He was picked to represent Mumbai under 16s and since then he has been a regular part of Mumbai’s cricketing circle.

Playing for Mumbai wasn’t easy. Dealing with the daily rush in the train, performing everywhere and trying to make a mark, could be tiring. His twin brother Divyanshu is a medium pacer and has been a club cricketer too. They both worried about what could happen if they didn’t make it. What would their parents think? “Ajeeb sa darr rehta hai. There is a feeling what if nothing happened. We were desperate to find success. I remember I saw Sarfaraz playing in Azad Maidan, I have seen Yashasvi too. Like them I too have dreams to play for Mumbai which happened and next step is India. Let’s see how things go,” he adds.

Being a finger spinner isn’t easy. Especially at a time when batsmen are aggressive. Himanshu is aware of the challenges he will face in the days ahead.

So when he was part of India’s preparations camp he observed how R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma prepared for their practice session. He says in those few days he wanted to learn as much as possible, and try to implement it in his game.

“I bowled to them and I just saw how big players prepared. What is their mindset when they come to nets. Do they bowl with any plans? These were the small things I tried to learn,” he said.

Mumbai is scheduled to take on Odisha in their next Ranji Trophy game at home at the MCA-BKC ground. The young spinner will try to make it count once again.