India's two-Test wonder reacts to being called 'greatest domestic bowler' by Yuvraj Singh: 'Agar unhone kaha hai...'

Indian cricket over the years has produced a mixed bag players. Some have gone on to play over 100 Tests – the great Sachin Tendulkar in fact getting to 200 – while others not quite. Zaheer Khan retired with 92 Tests to his name, and Dhoni quit 10 short of a 100. However, at the same time, there have been those who came and went, all a blur. Karun Nair, India's only other triple-centuries barring Virender Sehwag, played just six Tests whereas Yograj Singh and Iqbal Siddiqui never represented the country after their debut.

In 2014, something similar happened to Pankaj Singh. The Rajasthan workhorse was rewarded with a place in the Indian Test squad, the six-year-wait culminating into a debut against England in Southampton. As luck would have it, he played one more Test only never to be seen again in India colours. Pankaj had broken into the MS Dhoni-led squad on the back of a strong show for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy – he took 39 wickets in the 2013-14 season – and played his first Test right after India's historic win at Lord's. Having said that, as fate would have it, all Pankaj could add to it was the next Test at Manchester.

Pankaj, the first Indian pacer to take 400 First-Class wickets, had created ripples in the Indian domestic circuit, so much so that back in the day he was dubbed by Yuvraj Singh as 'India's greatest domestic bowler'. It was such a big compliment that even today, more than a decade later, with Pankaj and Yuvraj both retired, the tall fast bowler holds it close to his heart.

"He is such a big player, Yuvraj Singh. He has known cricket really up close and well. He is even managing and helping so many youngster at this stage. So obviously agar unhone kaha hai, then kuch cheezein hongi (If he’s said it, it probably means something)," he said in an interaction with India News on the sidelines of the Legends League Cricket.

Pankaj's short India career

Pankaj's first wicket was of someone many would dream of taking even today – former England captain Joe Root. After going wicketless for 179 runs at the Ageas Bowl, Pankaj finally got on the wicket column, dismissing Root and then Jos Buttler en route to producing figures of 2/113. Pankaj's Test career could have turned out to be a lot different had Ravindra Jadeja held on to a catch of Alastair Cook – he went on to score and India eventually lost by 266 runs – but with India's series defeat, Pankaj's Test career plummeted. He got dropped subsequently and never played again.

Pankaj had earned his maiden India Test call-up during India's 2007 tour of Australia, with injuries to Munaf Patel and S Sreesanth opening the doors for him. But it took him seven years to get his India Test cap. In 2010, he played his lone ODI for India, conceding 0/45. Three years ago, in 2021, Pankaj Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.