In the world of cricket, the name of the former outstanding Indian leg-spinner, Anil Kumble, is always mentioned with great respect among the great spinners. Kumble celebrated his birthday on Saturday, October 17th, at the age of 56.
Born on October 17, 1970, Kumble was known for his precise length of delivery and his ability to take wickets. During his Test career, he took 619 wickets, leaving an indelible mark on the history of Indian cricket.
A key characteristic of Kumble was that he induced very sharp turn from the ball, similar to other leg-spinners. His pace, bounce, and accurate bowling presented a serious problem for batsmen, allowing him to leave his mark on international cricket for a long time.
The most memorable moment in Kumble's career occurred on February 7, 1999, in Delhi, when he took all 10 wickets against Pakistan. He achieved these 10 wickets by conceding 74 runs in 26.3 overs. Thanks to this historic performance, he became the second bowler in the world to take all 10 wickets in a Test match, trailing only Jim Laker of England, who did it in 1956.
In 1999, the legend of the Indian team's spin, @anilkumble1074, became the first Indian bowler and the second overall to take all 10 wickets in a Test match.
Kumble demonstrated his competence on foreign soil. In the Leeds Test in 2002, he played a crucial role in India's victory by taking 7 wickets. Later, in the Adelaide Test in 2003-2004, his 6 wickets were the main reason for India's historic win. Furthermore, his performance against Australia in home Tests between 1996 and 1998 was impressive: he took 32 wickets in 4 matches.
Throughout his career, Kumble reached many significant milestones. In the first match of the series against Australia in Bengaluru in 2004-2005, he crossed the mark of 400 Test wickets. In January 2008, in a match in Perth against Australia, he became the third bowler in the world to reach 600 Test wickets. Also, in August 2007, he scored his only international Test century at 'The Oval' against England, achieving this feat in his 117th Test match.
In the Test in Antigua in 2002, Kumble decided to bowl against the West Indies team despite having a jaw fracture. He bowled 14 consecutive overs with a fractured jaw and dismissed Brian Lara. During that match, he was batting at number seven when Mervyn Dillon's ball hit his jaw. Despite the bleeding, he continued to play for another 20 minutes.
In November 2007, Kumble was appointed captain of the Indian Test team. Under his leadership, India achieved a memorable victory in Perth during the tour of Australia in 2007-2008. Kumble led the team for 14 Test matches from 2007 to 2008. In these 14 matches, the team won 3, lost 5, and 6 ended in a draw. In 2007-2008, he was appointed captain for the home series against Pakistan, which they won, marking India's first home victory over Pakistan in 27 years.
He concluded his brilliant international career by playing his last Test against Australia in Delhi in October 2008, after which he retired from international cricket. Later, he contributed to administrative work and became the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee in 2012. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed Anil Kumble as the head coach of the Indian team on June 23, 2016, and he served as the coach of the Indian team for about a year.
