Pankaj Singh, a tall and strapping right-arm medium-fast bowler from Rajasthan, has progressed from the Under-19 level to the India A side with consistent performances since he made his first-class debut in August 2003. By 2006 he started showing signs of having matured, taking Rajasthan to the final of the Ranji Plate league, with 21 wickets at 20.95. In 2007, he was part of India A's twin tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya, and a total of 18 wickets in the unofficial Tests and ODIs in Kenya earned him a spot for the home series against South Africa A. With Sreesanth and Munaf Patel injured, he earned a call-up to India's Test squad to tour Australia. He signed with the Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural IPL before transferring to Royal Challengers Bangalore for the second season. His next big break came when he was included in the limited-overs sides for India's tour of Zimbabwe, when the selectors decided to rest several senior players. After losing his place in the side, Pankaj sought to make a comeback with strong performances on the domestic circuit. He was among the top wicket-takers in the Ranji Trophy between 2009 and 2014 and also produced match-winning efforts for Rajasthan during their title wins in 2010 and 2011. He was finally rewarded for his performances with a spot in India's Test squad on the tour to England in 2014.