If there's a list made of underrated but ever-improving fast bowlers in Indian cricket, Vaibhav Arora could easily feature among the top five. He started his Indian Premier League (IPL) career with the Punjab Kings and showed his ability to swing the new ball both ways. However, his death-bowling ability was still a work in progress.

Ahead of IPL 2023, he moved to the Kolkata Knight Riders, and once he got a chance to play for the Men in Purple and Gold, he showed a lot of improvement from the previous season. In the last two seasons, Arora has not only added pace to his bowling but also added yorkers and slower deliveries, making him an all-round pacer.

In an exclusive interaction with CricTracker, the 28-year-old candidly talked about his life, the toughest phase and turning point of his career, a bowler who inspires him, and much more.

You became the first bowler in Indian domestic cricket history to take a hat-trick on List A (Vijay Hazare Trophy) debut for Himachal Pradesh. How has it impacted your career?

Actually, around that time, just a day before the hat-trick, I was picked by KKR for the first time in 2021. I played the very next match, and my confidence was extremely high after being selected by KKR. Soon after, I got the opportunity to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. I was fortunate to take a hat-trick in my very first match of the tournament, becoming the first Indian to achieve a hat-trick on debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

What was the toughest phase of your domestic cricket journey?

In my domestic cricket journey, the toughest phase came during the Vijay Hazare Trophy when we won the final for Himachal Pradesh. I got injured in the very first match after taking a ball on my finger, which resulted in a fracture, and I had to miss the rest of the tournament. It was a difficult time because we went on to become champions, and I couldn’t contribute on the field. Still, it remains a lifetime memory, being part of a championship-winning team, even under such challenging circumstances.

One moment that completely changed your career?

Actually, when I made my Ranji Trophy debut, I took nine wickets in my very first match. In that game, I dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara, a true legend of the sport. That performance gave me a new identity and a lot of confidence, and I believe it was a life-changing moment in my career.

One bowler you look up to and try to learn from?

You learn a lot from such players whenever you speak to them. If there’s one bowler I truly look up to, it’s Arshdeep Singh. We’ve played together since childhood and shared time in Punjab camps. Seeing how much he has achieved and how well he’s performing at the international level motivates and inspires me a lot. He’s a close friend who’s doing exceptionally well, and I aspire to reach that level too. Whenever I feel low, I call him, and whenever we meet on the field, we talk. I always take away something positive from those conversations; they give me a real boost.

There is heavy competition in the bowling line-up in KKR for IPL 2026. Your views on that?

Competition is tough everywhere, but it’s actually a very positive sign for our team that we have such quality bowlers. Even the players on the bench add to our strength. Healthy competition within the squad brings out the best in everyone, when someone gets an opportunity, the team benefits. This season, players like Akash Deep have joined us, and we already have experienced bowlers such as Mustafizur Rahman, Pathirana, Cameron Green, and Karthik Tyagi. I believe competition is a good thing; it pushes us to improve, grow, and perform at our best.