Who is anil kumble
Anil Kumble is an iconic figure in the history of Indian cricket. Born on October 17, 1970, he has left an indelible mark in the world of cricket with his exceptional skills as a leg-spin bowler. Kumble’s relentless determination and unique bowling style have made him not only one of India’s best spinners but also one of the greatest players to have graced the cricket field.
Early Career
Kumble kick-started his cricketing career during his college days at National College, Bangalore. Recognizing his talent, he was promptly selected for the Under-19 team and subsequently made his first-class debut playing for Karnataka against Hyderabad in November 1989, taking four wickets and making an instant impact.
Rising through Ranks
Soon after, in 1990, Anil Kumble was selected to play for the Indian Test Cricket team against England. A year later, he played One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for India. Initially struggling to make a substantial impact, Kumble took three years to secure his first five-wicket haul in a test match which ignited a spark that would lead him onto monumental success in International Cricket.
International Fame
In international cricket, Anil Kumble stands out among other legendary cricketers because of his unique ability to bowl “flipper” – unconventional delivery shipped by rolling fingers over ball which reached batsman quickly lower than expected.
Stunning Statistics
Throughout his glittering career which spanned for nearly two decades, Kumble picked up 619 wickets from 132 Test matches at an impressive average of 29.65 runs per wicket. He recorded his best figures in a Test innings when he decimated Pakistan’s batting line-up with spectacular figures of 10/74 in New Delhi, 1999 – becoming only the second player to claim all ten wickets in a Test innings.
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In limited-overs cricket, he clinched 337 ODI wickets from 271 matches with an economy of 4.30 runs per over and boasting best figures of 6/12 against West Indies.
Commanding Captaincy
In November 2007, Anil Kumble was selected as captain for the Indian cricket team, taking over the role from Rahul Dravid. Although his stint as captain was rather short-lived, he displayed great skill and leadership throughout this period until handing over his captaincy duties to Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2008.
Post Retirement Contributions
Anil Kumble retired from international cricket in November 2008 during a Test series against Australia. Following his retirement, he continued contributing to the game off-field by making numerous decisions that have impacted Indian cricket positively during his tenure as mentor/coach for several IPL franchises including Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians.
In June 2016, he was appointed Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team but resigned after one year due to disagreements with skipper Virat Kohli.
Awards and Accolades
Kumble’s contribution to Indian Cricket hasn’t gone unnoticed; he has been bestowed with several prestigious awards such as Arjuna Award in 1995 followed by Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India’s highest sporting honour in 1996. Additionally, In October 2015, he was elected President of International Cricket Council (ICC) cricket committee where he played key role in promoting and governing worldwide professional cricket scenarios.
To sum it up, words don’t do justice while describing Anil Kumble’s illustrious career and immortal contributions to world of cricket. His sheer determination coupled with a never-give-up mindset have made ‘Jumbo Kumble’ an inspiration for youngsters across the globe and undoubtedly, a legend in cricketing circles.
