Anil Kumble: Ranger from the south

There are two types of cricket players. The ones born with a gift, the born genius and the ones who had to fight to prove their existence every day. Anil Kumble belonged to the second category and he took those fights to a new height. No other bowler had won India more test matches than Anil Kumble. To bear the burden of leading the dreaded spin attack on the sub-continent pitches for two decades is the task he was given. And, the one he carried his task with exemplary distinction and never complained. He never had the turn or deception that the likes of his contemporaries, Warne and Murali enjoyed, but he made his up for it with his unique flippers and googlies. Anil Kumble was the champion of contemporary Indian cricket in this aspect and stands out as one of the finest men to play cricket ever. A perfect gentleman and an extremely hardworking cricketer, he made spin a delight to watch and a nightmare to play. He is a statesmen, a true gentleman who never felt to show his aggression with words or gestures rather a lone, cold stare. And, after following him all those years everyone knows what followed that stare, a fiery ball sent at a hurling speed. It is only fitting that he had played along with Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, VVS and to be the part of the best test team India had ever seen.

Anil Kumble made his strides into the national team at the same time as Sachin did, but with a huge contrasting reasons. Sachin to prove everyone right whereas Kumble to prove everyone wrong. Cricketing career had never been easy on this mechanical engineer from Bangalore who went on to become the third highest wicket taker ever and the highest by any Indian. Making his debut in 1990 in both the formats of the game he had entered the big league after many fiery displays for Karnataka. The initial years had been tough on him as his bowling style had been different from the preferred and traditional way. He made the ball move faster, hacking through the air rather than hanging in it and they came off the pitch equally quicker. It took a great deal for someone who believed that actions speak louder than words to prove his place was justified in the team. He had never taken his place in the team for granted and never complained when dropped. Rather, came up with performance which they cannot ignore and made his way back into the team. Beating all the odds, injuries this humble man who acknowledges that he was not born with gift of spin made it to the top with his instincts and attitude. It had taken a lifetime of hard work and commitment to make him the best test bowler India had ever seen.

The story of Anil Kumble is never full without the 10 wicket haul and the broken jaw. Feroz shah Kotla had been a proud witness for many of his finest displays of craftsmanship. Kotla had made its bond ever stronger with him after the breathtaking spells against arch rival Pakistan to get his perfect 10. The only man after Jim Laker to take 10 wickets in an innings never boasted about that and even credited his teammates for his success. Stories have been told about that match and will be told in the future of this man, who fought all the odds on and off the field to create history on that day. The story of Javagal Srinath throwing down an over of balls down the offside wicket to avoid taking any wicket tells that tale that very few players enjoyed the support their teammates as Kumble did. Very few sights in the history are as inspiring as the view of Kumble making his way down from pavilion with a bandaged jaw to take the wicket of Brian Lara. It speaks volumes of a man who commands respect equally from his mates and rivals. Most of his best performances have come in face of great adversaries which made them even better. They will be cherished for a long time for his determination, grit and outstanding commitment.

Time and again he had proved himself every time he had given chances as the 2003 test matches at Adelaide and Sydney. Against a rampaging Australia he stood tall to deliver one of the finest displays of the spin bowling ever by an Indian overseas. And, for all his luck Steve Waugh had India always spoiled his farewell plans. As Kumble dismissed him on the final day the great player made his last walk back to the pavilion. The gallant tale of Anil Kumble is always filled with injuries, doubting selectors and captains who could not use his full potential. But that never stopped him from going where he was destined to. For all his hard work his was given a chance to prove his comeback every time he was dropped. And, the always made the most of them as against Pakistan in 2004 to script a historic series win with four wickets on the final day at Rawalpindi.

Leadership is something he always gracefully accepted ,but never complained of the burden. He led the bowling department from the front for many years successfully. It took 118 painstaking Tests to make him as the Test captain of team India. Being the captain of the most followed sports team on this planet does not make the job any easier. No captain ever came out with more dignity intact than he did during the Sydney controversy. He had led the team with great statesmanship and his words won over most of world to rally in his support. After losing the match in Sydney, he made sure the team had not disintegrated and made up to his word at Perth. At the end of 2008 he had called it quits and his time to hang his boots. For a man who never knew when to give up, who when doubted by everyone believed in himself it must have been an emotional day to take this decision. It is only befitting that Kotla stadium which witnessed his best performance witnessed this legend made his long walk back. As he made that walk with thousands of fans cheering, carried on the shoulders of his teammates the love story of Kotla ended there forever.

Anil Kumble stood as beacon of statesmanship and a champion in an era of degrading moral values of the gentlemen game. Aggression, for him did not include crude language or abusive gestures rather he let the ball do the talking. He may be a master craftsman, but at heart he always remained a student who found it interesting to rise higher every time he fell down. Indian cricket is very luck to have him in the ranks as a player for two decades and now as an administrator. For all those who have followed him will agree that he is a fierce competitor with heart of a lion and patience of a Jumbo.