For millions of people who form the cricket-watching masses in this country and elsewhere, Anil Kumble was nothing less than a childhood hero for most. For who can forget that fateful day in 1999. The bitterness of a loss against Pakistan in the first Test in Chennai carried over even into the second one in Delhi. Little did we know then that history would be created and it was to be the beginning of a hero.
One by one, the Pakistani batting order tumbled down in the second innings as Anil Kumble emerged as a man reborn. That magnificent 10-wicket haul was the stuff of legends. This man has now been appointed as the head coach of the Indian Cricket team.
As reported earlier, he will be assuming his duties from India's upcoming series against West Indies. If his on-field persona gives us anything to about, it might be a safe bet to conclude that Kumble's lack of coaching experience is not going to come in the way of his anticipated success with the team. We look at five instances that establishes how capable a leader and performer Anil “Jumbo” Kumble has been whenever his team needed him to rise to the occasion.
#1 2002: Bowled with a broken jaw
One of the boldest and most incredible performances in cricket history. During India’s 2002 tour of the West Indies, Anil Kumble suffered a broken jaw when hit by a Mervyn Dillon bouncer but continued to bat till he was dismissed.The return of Kumble to bowl with bandages wrapped around his face is surely heartwarming for every cricket lover.
The warrior in him refused to give up and he even got the wicket of the great Brian Charles Lara during his 14 overs when he bowled his heart out. This shows the guts that made him such a formidable player and write his name into the history books at Antigua.
Kumble’s commitment to the game is one of the greatest characters that will define his coaching stint. As this goes to prove, Kumble the Player gave everything for his team and country, Kumble the Coach is sure to give his 100 percent too. A jumbo sized inspiration for cricket.
#2 2003 Cricket World Cup : India vs Netherlands - 7th Match, Pool A
- The latter stages of the 2003 World Cup were disappointing for Anil Kumble as skipper Sourav Ganguly decided against experimentation and left him out from the playing 11. "As far as we are concerned, I can tell you all our batsmen regard Kumble as a very, very major threat," said Kenyan coach Sandeep Patil as he received the news of Kumble's omission for the semi-finals with a sense of relief.
Anil Kumble gave India a major relief as he helped win the opener against Netherlands
However, Kumble had already shown his mettle in the very first match against the Netherlands. India’s formidable batting order had not exactly clicked and the bowlers were left to defend the paltry total of 204.
However Kumble teamed up with Javagal Srinath to lead from the front did a fantastic job as they skittled the opponents for 136. Kumble returned with an economy of 3.20 and bagged 4 wickets to hand India a comfortable win. Just goes to show how this man at the helm can guide the team comfortably even through rough patches.
#3 2004 : 4th test against Australia in SCG
The India tour to Australia in 2004 was a lucky appearance for Anil Kumble. It was widely reported that the only reason he was recalled to the squad was because the then first choice spinner Harbhajan Singh was out with an injury. To say that Kumble proved all the selectors wrong would be an understatement. This series marked the turning point of his career and he returned to favour with style.
The fourth Test was all important as Australia had the momentum going into the game after winning the Boxing Day test match at Melbourne in the previous game. Even though India notched up a high score in the first innings, Steve Waugh's scraping innings and slow-but-steady partnerships made victory quite impossible for India.
The only reason Waugh survived as long as he did on the crease was because he did not take any unnecessary risks, especially against Kumble whom he recognised as a threat. So while he scored at the rate of 5.4 every six balls against Murali Kartik, he only managed 18 off 75 deliveries from Kumble he faced.
In Australia's first innings, Kumble ended up taking eight wickets (the remaining two were claimed by Irfan Pathan) while he took four out of six in the second innings. For a player who almost did not make it to the squad for that tour, those are highly impressive figures. It once again proves exactly how resilient and determined Jumbo can be.
#4 2007: India’s ONLY centurion in the entire series against England
In cricket as in many other sports, versatility is invaluable. Anil Kumble, though never considered among the best all-rounders of the game, has on occasion come up with meaningful contributions with the bat as well. The most memorable among which is the unforgettable maiden Test century which came at The Oval in 2007 . It proved that Anil Kumble with the ball and Anil Kumble with the bat were just opposite sides of the same coin, at least in this instance.
The amusing way in which he wildly edged the delivery from Kevin Pietersen under the keeper’s legs to bring up his century is a testament to the unconventional adaptability of this old warhorse.
"We had a team meeting a couple of days back and I just mentioned it's about time our batters scored a hundred in the series and I never thought I would have to do it," Kumble said.
A coach needs to be able to perform various roles and Kumble has proved himself capable of taking on different responsibilities and fulfil them. A deserving century. A deserving coach.
Trivia: Kumble was India’s only centurion in the entire series. This definitely earned him bragging rights in the dressing room.
#5 2007-08 :Australia v India
If Anil Kumble’s leadership and management capabilities were ever in doubt, a look at the way in which he led the team through the Monkeygate scandal is a revelation. His statement at the post-Sydney Test press conference in 2008 still resonates : “Only one team played in the spirit of the game”.
While defending his team member from unjust allegations of racial abuse, Kumble showed that he was not one to take it lying down. He exemplarily led his team through the controversial series, standing by his team and players, not bowing to the mighty Australians. A thinking captain. A strong leader.
The 2007-08 series is also memorable for a couple of significant decisions by Kumble.
He was instrumental in Virender Sehwag’s recall to the touring squad. Sehwag made important contributions in the last two matches and his 151 in the Adelaide test helped save the match for India.
During the Third Test, throughout the morning session of day four, Ishant Sharma troubled Ricky Ponting with his bowling but could not get his scalp. However, Kumble showed his faith in his teammate and persisted with Sharma and the ploy yielded result as he dismissed the ever-dangerous Ponting.
That is what is needed - a strong, dependable, assured man to keep Kohli in check but fight for the team when the situation demands. Kumble will give respect and space to the Captain but will be his own man, not under the control of the BCCI or dressing-room politics.
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