5 Indian players who have blossomed under the Dravid-Kumble partnership
It would be considered odd to say that batsmen and spinners used to hunt in pairs for most of the early 2000s. But a closer look into the statistics would tell you that 55 of Dravid’s record 210 catches in Test cricket came off Anil Kumble’s leg spin. Only Mahela Jayawardene with 77 catches off Muttiah Muralitharan has a higher tally.
The Karnataka duo have continued their partnership post-retirement; Rahul Dravid managing the junior team, and Kumble taking over as India’s head coach. During this time period, the Indian U-19 team went on to the reach the finals of the World Cup, and the senior team have produced some consistent performances.
Many players have reaped the benefits of this partnership. Let’s look at a few who have blossomed under the duo.
#5 Hardik Pandya
India’s quest for a seam-bowling all-rounder has been ongoing for a long time. Seam-bowling all-rounders provide the much-needed balance and depth to any side and can act as supports for the primary bowlers. They can also do their bit with the willow.
India’s hopes now rest on the young shoulders of Hardik Pandya. He burst onto the scene after a successful IPL for the Mumbai Indians a couple of seasons ago, under the watchful eyes of Kumble. Since then, Hardik has been fast-tracked into the national team by Kumble and the selectors as he brings a much-needed X-factor to the team.
His successful stints in the T-20 and ODI setup augur well for his future. Pandya stated that in India A’s tour of Australia, he became ‘mentally stronger’ and he largely credited Rahul Dravid for that. This was the tour that transformed him as a cricketer and he went on to make solid contributions with both bat and bowl for the senior team.
It’s an eventuality that he will get his opportunity with the red cherry and is definitely somebody to watch out for in the days to come.