Himanshu, the last man to dismiss Kohli in First-Class

The name Himanshu Sangwan would always be associated with Virat Kohli. The Railways seamer, after Kohli announced his retirement, will go down in the record books as the last bowler to send the modern great back to the pavilion in First-Class cricket.

The Ranji Trophy clash between Delhi and Railways in January had sparked frenzy amongst fans as it was Kohli’s first appearance in domestic First-Class cricket since November 2012. Over 12,000 spectators flooded the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

On the second day of the game, Sangwan had Kohli’s stumps cartwheeling. That was the last time Kohli was seen playing cricket in whites. Sangwan’s name has been etched in history and his wicket is now a quiz question.

Who was the bowler who dismissed Virat Kohli in his last Ranji match? This question was asked by a visiting lecturer to a student who was appearing for the UPSC exams at the Imperial Library at Nayagaon near Chandigarh.

“It is funny that I have already become a quiz question," Sangwan told The Tribune on Monday after Kohli’s retirement. “Someone I know runs a library near Chandigarh, where people prepare for the UPSC exams. A student was asked this question after he said he was interested in current affairs. It is a very proud moment for me," the 29-year-old added.

Calling his interaction with Kohli a lifetime memory, Sangwan said that cricket was poorer with his retirement. “I am very disappointed with his retirement as a fan. When Sachin Tendulkar retired we all wondered what would happen to cricket. It is the same with his retirement," he said.

“I asked to get a selfie clicked with him and he asked me to come after the match. He was very accommodating but the thing that struck me was he asked me whether I was Pradeep Sangwan’s brother. When I said no he said ‘body language to uske jaisa hi hai (body language is same as his)’. Frankly I couldn’t grasp everything as for most of us it was a big thing to stand next to him forget about chatting. I will cherish this as a lifetime memory," he added.

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