From Corporate Corridors to the Cricket Pitch: The Remarkable Rise of Anshuman Hooda
In a world where professional athletes are often groomed from childhood, 25-year-old Anshuman Hooda’s journey to becoming one of the most exciting prospects in Delhi cricket is a breath of fresh air. By day, he is a disciplined engineer navigating the corporate world at EY; by night, he is a lethal fast bowler hitting speeds of 140 kmph.
Hooda, who recently emerged as the Purple Cap winner with 22 scalps during the third edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), played a pivotal role in leading the South Delhi Superstarz to a title triumph. However, his ascent was anything but conventional.
A Career at the Crossroads
A graduate in Production and Industrial Engineering from Delhi Technological University (DTU), Hooda’s path to professional cricket was nearly derailed before it even began. After two unsuccessful attempts at Under-23 trials and with no formal history in the junior domestic circuit, he reached a breaking point.
“I thought it would be very difficult to directly get selected for the Ranji Trophy,” Hooda recalls. “I thought I should quit cricket and pursue my career in engineering.”
It was a plea from his coach, Harish Dagar, that kept the dream alive. Recognizing the young bowler’s natural athleticism and raw pace, Dagar persuaded him to commit one final year to the game. “I pleaded with him to give it one more year,” Dagar says. “I told him if nothing panned out, I would let him walk away.”
An Unlikely Beginning
Unlike most cricketers who grew up with a ball in their hand, Hooda’s early sporting prowess was on roller skates. It wasn’t until he reached college that he discovered his love for leather-ball cricket. Once he stepped onto the pitch, however, his natural aptitude for fast bowling became impossible to ignore.
His coach, Harish Dagar, emphasizes that the transformation wasn’t just physical—it was psychological. “I worked on his mind 80-85 percent. I made him mentally strong,” Dagar explains. “He had to balance a hectic corporate job while training at night. Once the roadmap was clear, he knew exactly what he had to do.”
Validation on the Big Stage
The DPL proved to be the platform Hooda desperately needed. His performances did not go unnoticed, even drawing praise from Indian cricket icon Shikhar Dhawan, the owner of his DPL franchise.
“Shikhar Dhawan himself surprised me. He came and we had a little conversation. He gave me some very good tips and a direction to work towards from here,” Hooda says, clearly emboldened by the endorsement.
The Road Ahead
As he continues to balance his responsibilities at a multinational firm, the pull of professional cricket has never been stronger. With his speed, dedication, and newfound confidence, Hooda is no longer just playing for the love of the game—he is aiming for the ultimate goal.
“I have seen some substantial progress in my cricket in recent months,” Hooda reflects. “The eventual goal is to play and win matches for the country. That is my ultimate goal. I might, in the coming times, shift my whole focus to cricket and give it my all.”
For an engineer who spent his formative years calculating variables and building systems, Anshuman Hooda is now preparing for the most ambitious project of his life: making it to the highest level of Indian cricket.
