Former Test captain Anil Kumble has picked out India to clinch the upcoming ICC World T20 at home. Firstpost reported the iconic bowler also heaping praise on Ravichandran Ashwin as the premier spinner in world cricket at the moment.
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Speaking on the sidelines of a training program related to his cricket academy ‘Tenvic’, the 45-year old believed, “The world cup is round the corner and I am hoping that India will bring the cup.”
Sharing his experiences on the high-octane rivalry between India and Pakistan, Kumble felt that it was essential to concentrate on the on-field performances rather than on the hype surrounding the contest. He implied, “We played for the cause of the team.”
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Singling out off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as an important part of the Indian side, the stalwart opinionated, "He is really capable. Probably he is the number one spinner in the world and performed well over the years.”
The Tamil Nadu tweaker is the only bowler to be ranked inside the top ten across all the 3 formats, currently. His adaptability to different situations will be vital to India’s chances on pitches which are bound to support the spinners.
Virender Sehwag and Kapil Dev also tag India favorites for World T20
Affectionately nicknamed ‘Jumbo’ for his whole-hearted efforts with the ball, Kumble remains India’s most successful bowler ever by picking up more than 950 international wickets across both Tests and ODIs.
Widely known as one of India’s greatest ever match-winners, the wrist spinner is not the only big name to select the ‘Men in Blue’ as the favorites for the 20-overs extravaganza. Former team-mates Virender Sehwag and Kapil Dev too had echoed his sentiments.
Earlier, the swashbuckling opening batsman had asserted, “India remain favourites to repeat the feat of 2007. They are playing good cricket at the moment and the combinations are working well.”
World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev considered India among the front runners for the T20I title. The immortal all-rounder had affirmed, “I normally don't pick favourites but this time I will have to say India look best prepared. Apart from them, the other semifinalists will be Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. M S Dhoni doesn't have a lot of problems at the moment.”
India warmed up for the competition with a 45-run victory against West Indies in a practice match at the Eden Gardens. MS Dhoni’s side will begin their campaign against New Zealand at Nagpur on March 15.
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