Top 4 Performances of Anil Kumble

Cricket is a batsman game these days. We have come a long way from struggling to get to 220 in an ODI to finishing with 200+ on the board in a T20I. The Indian team of the late 90s and the early 2000s had the best batting line up with the likes of Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman, who were undoubtedly the greatest match winners.

It was such a nice combination wherein one or the other would shoulder the responsibility to take the team across the line. We have looked at various innings played in different conditions, which led to some famous victories both in India as well as on foreign soil but we tend to forget the contribution of the big man who took 619 wickets in his international career. Yes, it is Anil Kumble.

He was there when the captain needed him at crucial situations. One such incident is when he bowled 14 overs against the West Indies at Antigua with a broken jaw, taking the important wicket of Brian Lara in the process.

Being India’s leading wicket-taker in Tests as well as in ODIs speaks of his impact on the performance of the team. In a career spanning over 15 years, Kumble had a lot of impactful performances. Let us look at some of his best performances:

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1. 10 for 74 against Pakistan at Delhi(1999):

It was February 7, 1999, when Kumble emulated Jim Laker by taking all ten wickets in an innings. The visitors were set a huge target of 420 runs with India needing to win the Test to level the series after a narrow defeat in the first Test at Chennai.

From 101 for no loss to 128 for 6, Pakistan batting line-up crumbled quickly. After Saeed Anwar was back to the pavilion, Pakistan were in deep trouble and the chance of drawing the match became improbable.

Even though the lower middle order offered little resistance, Kumble ran through the line-up finishing with career-best figures of 10 for 74 in Tests. He had 4 wickets to his name in the first innings finishing with match figures of 14 for 149.

It was India’s first win against the arch-rivals in 19 years with Kumble just the second bowler in the cricket history to take all 10 wickets in an innings.

2. 6 for 12 against the Windies at Kolkata(1993):

After a thrilling victory against the Proteas in the semis, India were all set to face Windies in the finals of the Hero Cup at the Eden Gardens. West Indies won the toss and invited India to bat first.

India scored 225 for 7 at the end of 50 overs, thanks to Vinod Kambli’s 68. With a very good batting line-up, Windies were set to chase this score but found themselves in trouble at 63 for 4.

While Kapil had taken two wickets, Sachin and Manoj Prabhakar pitched in with a wicket each. Then began the Kumble’s show where he decimated the opposition taking the remaining six wickets and conceding just 12 runs in 6.2 overs.

It was a dream spell which saw four batsmen getting bowled. The Windies were all out for 123 runs which meant India went on to the win the Hero Cup quite comfortably. Kumble was adjudged the Player of the Match. His figures read 6.2-2-12-6.

3. 3 for 93 and 4 for 66 vs England, Headingley(2002):

Everyone remembers the 2002 Headingley Test for the performances of Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly that led India to post a mammoth score. However, only a few would remember the contribution of Kumble in that match.

Often criticized for not being effective in away Tests, this was the best way he could respond to all of them. England were looking for a miracle escape on day 5 when Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart put 117 runs for the 5th wicket batting for 46 overs.

Kumble was the one who provided the important breakthrough when he removed Hussain for 110 which sparked a collapse that saw the hosts lose the match by an innings and 46 runs.

Jumbo removed Stewart and Giles to hand over the victory to the team. He ended with match figures of 7 for 159. This was India’s first win outside the sub-continent since 1986 which provided the team with a lot of self-confidence.

4. 6 for 72 against Pakistan at Multan(2004):

Three things that everybody will remember as soon as someone mentions about the Multan Test in 2004: Sehwag’s triple ton, Tendulkar’s 194* and Kumble’s 6 for 72 in the second innings.

After bowling out the hosts for 407 in their first innings, India enforced follow on with Pakistan trailing by 268 runs. Even though the victory was assured, India had a task in hand.

Kumble was brought early into the attack and he got rid of both the openers. Even though wickets kept tumbling at one end, Mohammad Yousuf stood firm at the other end.

Kumble was on a roll dismissing Abdul Razzaq, Sami and Saqlain Mushtaq in quick intervals. Shoaib Akhtar provided resistance but that didn’t last long as the hosts were all out on the morning of day 5.

Kumble had bowled 30 overs out of 77, taking six important wickets in the process. India led the series 1-0 after this victory.