The Indian Spin Bowling

Gifted spinner, stoic warrior, devoted son, gentle father, enthusiastic photographer, demanding team-mate, committed friend - Anil Kumble is a man of many interesting parts. It is hard not to admire such a man, though my first impressions of him were of awe and confusion.

It was during the days when we both played Under-19 cricket. I was yet to gain a reputation and he, a few years older, already owned one. He was gathering wickets by the bucketful and was occasionally labelled 'the next Chandra', while I was the nervous wicketkeeper wondering how the hell I was going to keep to Anil on matting wickets.Fortunately, I was not totally embarrassed. Initial trepidation was also accompanied by bewilderment. With his thick glasses and grim demeanour, he appeared a fellow who might be more comfortable in the first row of a classroom rather than spinning a ball on a cricket field. Of course, Anil eventually proved himself in both areas: he has a degree in engineering and a PhD in legspin bowling.

Anil is not a flippant man, and it is reflected in his cricket. The game brings him pleasure but it is never taken lightly. I read once that as a boy he only went out to play cricket after finishing his school homework. As a cricketer he is the same, for he never goes to play until he has done his cricketing homework. Batsmen are analysed, his bowling is scrutinised, plans are made. There is something wonderfully thorough, organised and disciplined about his approach, which makes him a powerful role model. Anil is now regarded as a master of his craft, especially since he broke Kapil's record of 434 wickets, but his greatness arrives from his ability to always see himself as a student. He is always learning, and through the years he has consistently made small improvements, extending his range and polishing his repertoire. When he first arrived in the team, his googly was not as evolved as it is now. He has also developed a flipper that is delivered at different speeds. He didn't bowl round the wicket as often in the early days but now he's comfortable from both sides.

People have often doubted Anil but he himself never has. People have said that he did not turn the ball sufficiently, that he was comparatively ineffective abroad, but he always believed he had the tools to succeed. His performances in Australia and Pakistan over the past 13 months have vindicated his belief in himself. Even at 34 he is responding to challenges and silencing critics. For me, he has been more than a team-mate; he has been a wise friend. I knew I could count on him and that he was honest enough not to tell me what I wanted to hear. When I was struggling in the one-day game, for instance, he insisted I was good enough, but gently suggested that I needed to polish my skills, whether it was rotating the strike or converting starts.

Anil works hard for the team, and not just with ball in hand. When he was recovering from his shoulder injury, he didn't stay at home; he came to the Indian camp and assisted Bhajji and the other spinners. When the player contracts had to be decided on, he took the trouble to sift through and understand the issues. Never does he shy away from responsibility. He has stood up to be counted, and courted controversy if required. Anil is tough and I like that about him. He is the essential 100-per-cent cricketer, every day, every over, every ball, bringing great energy to the contest, facing every challenge with his jaw sternly set - or even broken for that matter! His attitude makes him a dream to captain. When I led against New Zealand in 2003 at Mohali and we lost the toss and had to bowl first on a flat wicket, not once did Anil complain. Occasionally a bowler, faced with an unresponsive wicket, might give up mentally, but not Anil; never did he say, "Rahul, give me a break." He just bowled on and on. He does not know what `give up' means. Breaking Kapil's record was an important moment for it allowed people a chance to recognise and reflect on what a magnificent bowler Anil has been. His stamp on the Indian game is now indelible.

He is still hungry, still committed, still gifted, still a man who finds great strength from his family. If I had to pick a change in him, it would be that he is a little mellower than he once was (except, of course, when it comes to batsmen). Part of the reason is his young family, and after the Kolkata Test against South Africa, in which he equalled Kapil's record, he brought his baby son into the dressing room. His often grave face was now curled into a radiant smile. It was the look of a contented man, and it was good to see.

This piece appeared in the January 2005 issue of Wisden Asia Cricket

Anil Kumble

Full name: Anil Kumble
Nickname: Jumbo, Kumbles
Born: October 17, 1970, Bangalore, Karnataka
Major teams: India, ACC Asian XI, Karnataka, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Surrey
Education: Mechanical Engineer from R.V. College of Engineering

Batting style: Right-hand bat
Bowling style: Leg break googly

Test debut: India v England at Manchester - Aug 9-14, 1990

ODI debut: India v Sri Lanka at Sharjah - Apr 25, 1990

1996 - Wisden cricketer of the year 1996

PROFILE
He is one of those rare personalities in the cricket world who has the qualities of both a great player and a great person. Though stardom has always evaded Kumble, he has never felt sad or disappointed. Every delivery he bowls is with a new spirit and enthusiasm and onfeild behaviour is an example for others. His record list, which is a never ending list, speaks of him. In 1999 he became the first and the only Indian player to take all the 10 wickets in an innings, the feat performed only once before by Jim Laker back in 1955. Its Anil only who holds the Indian record of the most number of wickets in both ODI and test. Kumble also owns the Indian record of the most the test wins by a bowler.....disheartened

Anil Kumble who hails from Banglore in Karnataka, has his parental background in village Kumble situated in the Kasargod district of Kerala. After doing mechanical engineering from R.V. college of engineering he decided to take up cricket as his profession. He made his debut as a right arm medium pacer but soon established himself as a leg spinner. Due to this very reason, his bowls are nearer to the medium pace speed. By the year 1992 he had become a regular member of the national team owing to some spectacular regular performances.

The season 1995-96 was a golden period as Kumble's ODI perfomance was awesome. He took 61 wickets at an average of 20.24 and strike rate of just 4.06. It was same year in which the World cup was held in Asia. Owing to such great performance he was also named as the Wisden Cricketer of the year.

Anil Kumble is rather an unorthodox leg spinner. His deliveries have more of speed and less turn. With a clever mix of top-spinners, googlies, leg-breaks, flight and a variation of pace he has ability to frighten the best batsmen of the world. His flipper is one deadly deliveries which rather than hanging in the air speeds up after hitting the ground. His bowling ability can been seen by the no. of players he has dismissed by LBW's.

After arrival of Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble has been sidelined as a test player. He has been regularly been dropped from the ODI team though his place in the test squad has been firmly held by him. Even then he has been able to make to the Indian world cup squads in 1999, 2003 and now even in cricket world cup 2007. Recently he also announced that world cup would be his last ODI tournament.

Anil Kumble: India Test Team Captain Profile

Anil Kumle is 30th Test Captain of Indian cricket team. Kumle nick named as Jumbo has been captain of Indian cricket team for one match during Indian cricket team tour to West Indies as stand by captain. As a matter of honour, a commercial street has been named after Anil Kumble in Bangalore, Karnataka.

Personal and family information about Anil Kumble
Full/complete name: Anil Radhakrishna Kumble (Anil Kumble), Kumble is his village (in Kerala) name
Nick name:Jumbo (speed of his deliveries equal to jumbo jet)
County nick name: Apple
Mother tongue: Kannada
Date of birth (DoB):Born October 17, 1970
Place of birth: Bangalore, Karnataka
Family origin: Kannadiga
Wife/spouse name:Chethana Ramatheertha (Anil Kumble married a widow and set up a high standard).
First cricket club: Young Cricketers, Bangalore
Education (school/college) qualification: Rashtreeya Vidyalaya College of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering in 1991-92.
Sibling/brother name: Dinesh Kumble
Father’s name: Late Mr. K.N. Krishna Swamy
Mother’s name: Saroja
Personal and professional idol: his father K.N. Krishna Swamy

Professional Information of Anil Kumble:
Major teams: India, ACC Asian XI, Karnataka, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Surrey, Indian XI, World XI
Captaincy Record: Captain of Karnataka Ranji Trophy TeamBowling style: Legbreak googly bowling (right-arm leg spinner with an unorthodox style, most famous for his flipper)
Batting style: Right-hand batting
Test debut (Test match debut): Vs England on August 9-14, 1990 at Manchester (England)
ODI debut (ODI/One Day match debut): Vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah (UAE), Apr 25, 1990 in Australasia Cup
First-class debut: 1989-90 Vs Andhra Pradesh and he took 4 wickets
Retirement date from ODI cricket: Mar 19, 2007
Last ODI Match: Vs Bermuda at Port of Spain, Mar 19, 2007
Twenty20 Debut: Vs Gloucestershire at Bristol, Jul 24, 2006
Major awards Anil Kumble: Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1996

Batting Performance of Anil Kumble
Highest ODI score/runs: 26
Highest Test Match score/runs: unbeaten 110
Centuries/ton in Test Match: 1
Centuries/ton in ODI/One day Match: nil
Half Centuries in Test Match: 9
Half Centuries in ODI/One day Match: nil
Centuries/ton in First class Match: 7
Half Centuries in First class Match: 16
Highest score/runs in List A match: unbeaten 30
Highest score/runs in First class match: unbeaten 154
Highest score/runs in Twenty 20 match: 8
Strike rate in ODI/one day match:61
Strike rate in Test match:39
Strike rate in First class match:

Fielding Performance of Anil Kumble
Catches in ODI/One day match:53
Catch in Test Match: 85
Catch in First class match:112

Bowling Performance of Anil Kumble
Best performance/wickets in an ODI match: 6 wickets for 12 runs against West Indies at Kolkatta (Calcutta)
Best performance/wickets in a Test Match: 10 wickets in an inning Vs Pakistan at Firozshah Kotala Ground, New Delhi (10 wickets for 74 runs)
Best Performance /Highest wicket in Test Match: 14 wickets for 149 runs
Best performance/wickets in First class match: 10 wickets for 74 runs

Total wickets in ODI match: 337
Total Wickets in Test Match: 566
Total Wickets in First class Match: 1072

5 Wickets in ODI/one day match:2
5 Wickets in Test match:33
5 Wickets in First class match:70

10 Wickets in ODI/one day match: nil
10 Wickets in Test match:8
10 Wickets in First class match: 19

Economic rate in ODI/one day match: 4.30
Economic rate in Test match:2.7
Economic rate in First class match:2.6

Major achievement in cricket by Anil Kumble:
He took his first 50 Test wickets in just 10 Test matches, the fastest an Indian bowler had achieved the milestone.
second fastest Indian bowler to reach 100 Test wickets (in 21 Test matches).
The second bolwer in world after Jim Laker to have taken 10 wickets in an innining Vs Pakistan at Firozshah Kotala Ground, New Delhi.
Highest wicket 566 in Test match among Indian bowlers.
Third highest wicket in Test match in the world.
Only one ODI century /ton against England on August 10, 2007.

Man of the Series awards by Anil Kumble
-Man of the Series awards in Test cricket

Vs England in India Test Series 1992/93
Vs New Zealand in India Test Series 1999/00
Vs Zimbabwe in India Test Series 2001/02
Vs Sri Lanka in India Test Series 2005/06

-Man of the Series awards in ODI cricket
Sahara Friendship Cup (Pakistan v/s India) 1996

Man of the Match awards by Anil Kumble

-Man of the Match awards in Test cricket
Vs Sri Lanka KD Singh Babu, Lucknow 1993/94
Vs Pakistan Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi 1998/99
Vs New Zealand Green Park, Lucknow 1999/00
Vs England Mohali, Chandigarh 2001/02
Vs Zimbabwe VCA, Nagpur 2001/02
Vs Australia Chepauk, Chennai 2004/05
Vs Sri Lanka Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi 2005/06
Vs England Mohali, Chandigarh 2005/06
Vs England London, England 2006/07


-Man of the Match awards ODI
Vs England Headingley, Leeds 1990
Vs West Indies Eden Gardens, Kolkata 1993/94
Vs New Zealand Basin Reserve, Wellington 1993/94
Vs South Africa Wankhede, Mumbai 1996/97
Vs Bangladesh Wankhede, Mumbai 1998
Vs Kenya Gymkhana, Nairobi 2001/02