Kumble: My bowling will do all the talking
Anand Vasu - 06 December 2001

© AFP

Apart from the legendary Kapil Dev, no Indian bowler has taken more wickets than Anil Kumble. The Karnataka leg-spinner has for years singlehandedly won match after match at home. His latest edition, a haul of 8/133, won India the first Test against England at Mohali in convincing fashion. The thirty-one-year old has often been criticised time and again by his detractors on various counts. He is too quick in the air, cannot turn the ball enough, does not have the variations - they said. Well, with 289 wickets from 64 Tests, no one can really undermine the bowler anymore.

Coming back from a long lay off is hard at the best of times. Beginning his comeback in South Africa, where the wickets did not really suit the leggie's palate, Kumble returned just seven wickets in two Tests. It was a tough time, but one that Kumble feels is behind him. "It is pretty frustrating to be out of international cricket for a year. Obviously it is good to be back among the wickets. I had the surgery on my shoulder in January, and it has been almost a year since then," said Kumble to a gathering of reporters at the end of the Test.

In Kumble's absence from the international stage, Harbhajan Singh has hogged the limelight. The 32-wicket series he had against Australia earlier this year, including a hat-trick, almost made him India's first-choice spinner. Kumble, however, is quick to talk of the value of bowling alongside the young off-spinner. "It's great to be bowling alongside Harbhajan. He bowled fantastically well in both innings," began Kumble. "In fact, he's been bowling well for the last year. Having him bowling at the other end gives me good competition. You know that you need to bowl well if you want to get wickets. If you don't, he'll clean up the wickets. I guess he also has the same feeling, and this friendly rivalry is good for both of us," he said with a chuckle.

In South Africa, despite not meeting with the success that usually comes his way, Kumble felt that the trip served its purpose. "My main aim was to bowl a lot of overs and get back into the groove. I knew that things would happen for me if I remained positive. I was bowling pretty much the same as before and thought I bowled well. It is just that the results were not there," he explained.

England have been especially good to Kumble. Back in 1993, the leg- spinner scalped 21 wickets in three Tests at an average of less than 20 per wicket. He is looking forward to more happy hunting in this series. "I feel really satisfied, having played so many Test matches against England. In my two county seasons in England, I got a chance to play with and against all the top English batsmen. It is always good to be among the wickets," he said. "I am happy that the English batsmen have a bit of trouble against me, from 1993 till now. I hope it remains like that for the coming two Tests as well." That is certainly something that the Indian team will want as well.

There were enough people who wrote Kumble off when he suffered a long lay-off. "He will never be the same bowler" was the refrain from all quarters. When asked about this, he came up with one of his quick sliders that foxes the best batsmen in the world. "I don't really think too much about what others say. What I feel from within is much more important. My bowling will do all the talking," said Kumble with a quiet, determined look.

When Kumble means business, the opposition better watch out. 'Jumbo' has landed once more.

© Cricinfo Ltd.