KBC asks cricket-related question ft. Anil Kumble’s record spell vs Pakistan
The popular TV quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) featured a cricket-related question related to former India captain Anil Kumble’s record spell against Pakistan. The episode where this question was asked aired on Tuesday, September 19.
The quiz show had the question: Which umpire was at the bowler’s end when Kumble took his 10th wickets in a Test innings against Pakistan in February 1999, in Delhi.
The available options were Piloo Reporter, S Venkataraghavan, David Shephard, and AV Jayaprakash.
The correct answer is AV Jayaprakash, who coincidentally declared all the 10 Pakistan batters out. India won the Test by 212 runs to draw the series 1-1.
In an old interview, Jayaprakash reminisced about the special memory of officiating in that game. He told the Indian Express:
“Today, so many years down the line, it feels as if I am a part of the history books along with Anil Kumble. I have kept a CD of that match and sometimes, when my friends and family come for a visit and insist on revisiting those days, I rewind and watch it along with them."
Apart from Kumble, Jim Laker (England) and Ajaz Patel (New Zealand) are the only other two players to claim all 10 wickets in a Test innings.
Anil Kumble reveals his toughest dismissal during his 10-wicket haul against Pakistan in 1999
Anil Kumble recently revealed his toughest dismissal during his 10-wicket haul against Pakistan in 1999. He deemed Saeed Anwar's wicket, who top-scored with 69 runs in that innings, as the most difficult. The left-handed batter was caught by VVS Laxman at short-leg.
Kumble told Jio Cinema:
"I think Saeed Anwar (on his toughest wicket during the spell). He was batting really well - was I think 50 or 60-odd and was looking comfortable.”
The 52-year-old continued:
“Saeed Anwar was someone who was a brilliant batter. I mean, he had a lot of time. Even on that surface, he was middling the ball and I felt that was a challenge because I kept moving from over the stumps to round the stumps because I was starting to get a bit tired.”
Kumble finished as India’s leading wicket-taker in Tests, with 619 wickets in 132 Tests, including 35 five-wicket hauls. He is only behind James Anderson (690*), Shane Warne (708), and Muttiah Muralitharan (800) in the all-time list of highest wicket-taker in Tests.