India, July 23 -- Anshul Kamboj wasn't a part of the original Test squad for the series against England, even though he produced an impressive performance for India A against England Lions in the days after the squad was announced. On Wednesday at Old Trafford, however, the fortunes changed for the young pacer from Karnal as Kamboj received his maiden India cap before the fourth Test against England.

Kamboj's Test debut is the stuff of cricketing parables. Part of India A's pace unit that toured England ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Kamboj was a standout performer despite sharing the ball with the likes of Mukesh Kumar and Harshit Rana. Yet when the final squad was named, he was overlooked.

That persistence has been a defining...