Anil Kumble bowled bouncers as a leg-spinner in domestic cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar recently recalled people talking about the bouncers Anil Kumble used to bowl in domestic cricket. He was referring to the appreciable bounce the unconventional leg-spinner would be able to extract from the docile Indian pitches.

Sanjay Manjrekar, Brett Lee and Ashish Nehra talked about their early impressions of Anil Kumble during an interaction on the Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

Manjrekar was asked about his first impressions about Anil Kumble, with the former having held the catch to give the bespectacled leg-spinner his maiden Test wicket. The Mumbaikar responded that Anil Kumble was already a well-known name because of his unconventional style of bowling leg-spin.

"He was already been talked about by everyone that there is this tall leg-spinner but he is not quite like a leg-spinner."

Manjrekar even recalled people talking about the bouncers Anil Kumble was delivering as a leg-spinner on the placid Indian pitches, with the batsmen fending off the steeply rising deliveries.

"And I remember there were some first-class performances where people were talking about him bowling bouncers on some of those domestic pitches."

"People were fending the ball as they would against Brett Lee. So, his reputation preceded him."

30 years ago #OnThisDay #TeamIndia one of the greatest match winner @anilkumble1074 made his test debut. @englandcricket Alan lamb caught by @sanjaymanjrekar was his first wicket. #Manchester pic.twitter.com/Uxxw9j1Cpq

— Pushkar (@ppushp7) August 8, 2020

Brett Lee observed that Anil Kumble looked like a shy university student with his glasses, much like Daniel Vettori, when he made his debut.

"When he first started playing cricket, a bit like Vettori with the glasses on, a bit like a university student with the look with the glasses."

He added that the Karnataka leg-spinner had belied his looks by the end of his career, emerging as a legend of the game and a fantastic human being.

"He looked a bit shy and timid but 619 wickets later, 130-odd Tests, a legend of the game but a legend of a guy."

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Ashish Nehra on his first memory of Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble ended his career as one of India's greatest ever match-winners

Ashish Nehra was also asked about his first memory of watching Anil Kumble and if he regarded the latter as the greatest match-winner for India with the ball. The former left-arm pacer recollected having watched the current KXIP Director of Cricket Operations for the first time on television while the latter was representing India.

"First time I saw him was on television only when Anil Kumble was playing for India. He had those huge glasses, but as you keep on playing your face, mannerisms and style keeps changing every 5-6 years."

Ashish Nehra acknowledged that Anil Kumble was undoubtedly India's greatest ever match-winner with the ball in hand.

"But I would definitely agree that with the ball, he was India's biggest match-winner."

At No.18 in our #20in2020 countdown is an Indian legend - 12 of the best from Anil Kumble! WATCH IN FULL: https://t.co/7epr9FVNIf pic.twitter.com/uI3ckxfUao

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 6, 2020

Anil Kumble made his Test debut against England on 9th August 1990, exactly 30 years ago to the day. Although he took 3 wickets in his maiden Test match, he had to wait another couple of years to represent the Indian team again.

A sensational 13-wicket haul in an Irani Trophy match helped him stage a comeback to the Indian team for the tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa in 1992 and he never looked back thereafter. He finished his career as the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 619 scalps to his credit.