Engineer by day, cricketer by night: Unlikely journey of DPL Purple Cap winner Anshuman
Anshuman Hooda, an engineer at EY, successfully balanced his professional career with a breakout cricket season in the Delhi Premier League. His story highlights the challenges of pursuing professional sports without a traditional junior cricket background.
Why it matters
The article showcases the evolving pathways for athletes in modern sports and the importance of mentorship in overcoming career obstacles.
NEW DELHI: Anshuman Hooda bursts into laughter when asked to choose between his office laptop and his cricket ball. “My cricket ball is my best friend,” he tells TimesofIndia.com.His elder brother, Vikram Hooda, says their mother, Prem Lata Singh, a primary class teacher at a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) school, is happy to see Anshuman pursue cricket, especially now that he has a stable job. “Earlier, they used to say that he needed a job. Now that he has one and is doing well, she is happy,” Vikram says of their parents.Anshuman had a breakout 2026 Delhi Premier League (DPL) season -- emerging as the Purple Cap winner with 22 scalps -- which played a crucial role in South Delhi Superstarz's title triumph.But there was a time when Hooda thought cricket had run its course. Two attempts at the Under-23 trials had gone by without success.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in