Anil Kumble opens up on India's injury crisis, Parthiv Patel

Indian cricket team coach Anil Kumble took time out from his busy scheduled to speak to the media two days ahead of the fourth Test at Mumbai on a number of issues regarding the ongoing Test series. Kumble was at ease and in a chirpy mood as he tackled a number of questions about India’s injuries to Murali Vijay’s weakness against the short delivery.

The video was streamed live on Indian cricket team’s facebook page.

Excerpts from the press conference are below -

The media congratulated him about India’s 2 – 0 lead in the series but enquired about whether he was perturbed about India’s constantly changing opening combination -

AK: These things are not in our control. Injuries are part and parcel of the game. Unfortunately KL Rahul got hit during the game at short leg and that’s why he missed out. We have done really well in dealing with these circumstances, with Parthiv doing a fantastic job. Rahul will definitely have a hit today. For New Zealand and West Indies, we have had different sides with Vijay, Shikhar and Gauti getting injured. It has to stop at some stage.

On Indian legend Dilip Vengsarkar remarking that Indian players take too much of a workload –

AK: I only see the report, but I can tell you the fitness parameters currently are the best it has ever been. In the 90s fitness and conditioning was a personal choice. In 2000, it entered the mainstream, and now it is a part and parcel of the game. I myself was the fittest after I came back from injury. As I was aging, I had to do more. As a coach with our setup, we are willing to clarify anything.

Hardik got injured in the nets by a ball, KL at short leg, Vijay and Shikhar while batting, all cricketing injuries. The good part is the team has stood up and made it count, for example, Parthiv making a comeback after 8 years, showing no nerves and doing so brilliantly. The team is doing really well, I am not worried. We keep a track of workloads, especially the fast bowlers, if we need to pull back, we will.

On whether he has been satisfied with DRS so far –

AK: It’s been really good, overall the players are very satisfied. It’s not a matter of score-keeping saying which team has got it better. It’s a matter of making the right call at the right time and it has added to the balance of the game.

On restricting the English batsmen to ensure they don’t score big knocks –

AK: It’s a tribute to our bowling attack and Kohli’s field settings. It’s also been about bowling in partnerships, all 5 bowlers have chipped in, whether it’s one breakthrough or taking a fifer. There’s been only one fifer, but all wickets are equally important. Rajkot, Vizag and Mohali have been different, but we adapted and bowled differently.

On the performance of India’s quicks –

AK: I’m not someone who compares, I don’t believe in stats as long as they don’t win you matches. The fast bowlers have been brilliant, it’s not just the two of them but Bhuvi and Ishant as well. To have them on the bench is a credit to Umesh and Shami. We keep looking at their workloads, especially Shami after 18 months out, we monitor it and it is a challenge when you only have 3 – 4 days break between matches, it’s important that they are given breaks. Great credit to them, not just with the new ball, but coming back in the 3^rd and 4^th spells and last hour to take wickets is immensely creditable.

On Vijay’s weakness against the short ball –

AK: He has been one of the most consistent players over the last few years. He started very well with a century in this series, but yes, he got out in a similar fasion, and you can point out that it his weakness, but that’s not fair. A big score is right around the corner, we go out into the nets and we try to help him but we don’t need to go too deep, it’s just a matter of time before he scores runs. He has been most consistent.

On the contribution of the lower order with the bat -

AK: Contributions from every player in the batting line-up are extremely critical. If you want to stay No.1, it’s very important that every player contributes, that they keep raising the benchmark. Very pleased with the 3 spinners that they scored the 3 fifties to take the score to 400+ in Mohali. Especially pleased for Jaddu, who is more than capable of doing it, getting that 90 was a huge game-changer for him. With Jayant, you don’t realise that he’s only playing his second Test. Ashwin has led the way on the lower order realising their potential, he has shown what he can do at No.6. So have Shami Umesh and Bhuvi. In cricket, it’s not just about one skill anymore. It certainly puts the opposition on the defensive.

On Parthiv Patel’s persistence –

AK: Even when he first came in, he still looks 16, if you shave his beard off, he still looks 16. The first time he walked out in Indian colours, he saved the Test match for us. If you put the hard yards in, it will show. If you believe, it will happen. I was really pleased that he got a chance to open and that he did so well. It shows the character of the player, to say the team comes above self, he wasn’t worried about failure. People always want to do well for themselves, he put the team ahead of him.

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