It’s a name that conjures up an image of steely determination hidden behind a façade of courtly gentlemanliness. As one of India’s top sports persons, Anil Kumble has won accolades and applause for his demeanor and performance both on and off the field.
The Initial Days of His Journey
Anil Kumble was born on October 17, 1970 in Bangalore. He polished his skills as a cricketer in the streets of the city. Interestingly, he started off as a fast bowler before switching over to being a right arm leg spinner.
But even as he terrorized local batsmen with his rather unorthodox flipper delivery, this right arm leg spinner also developed a solid grounding in engineering. Anil Kumble’s penchant for setting high standards for himself is clear from the fact that India’s highest wicket taker also has a degree in mechanical engineering.
The Cricketer and His Climb to Fame
He made his cricketing debut in 1990, against England. However, he caught the eye of India’s cricket crazy fans when India toured South Africa in 1992. He took eight wickets against the home team during the second test and since then there was no looking back. By the time he retired from cricket in 2008, he was the highest wicket taker for India in both one day internationals and test cricket.
Given his grit, no expected him to fade into the sidelights, and Anil proved his fans right. A man of many parts and exceptional talent, he’s made a comeback as a cricket administrator and has also published a book of photographs.
On the personal front, Anil Kumble is married to Chetana Ramatheertha and the couple has three children. His close family includes his parents, K N Krishna Swamy and Saroja as well as his brother Dinesh.
His Many Achievements
The high point of Anil Kumble’s career was when he took all 10 wickets in a Test innings. This landmark achievement was against Pakistan during their 1999 tour of India. Anil Kumble ended the innings with remarkable figures of 10 for 74.
There are several other milestones in his career. His first 50 Test wickets came in 10 matches – the fastest ever by an Indian. He got 100 wickets in 21 matches and his stats of 6 wickets for 12 runs in an ODI against West Indies remains the best ever bowling figures by an Indian.
By the time he hung up his rather large boots – his large feet, incidentally, gave him the nickname, Jumbo – Anil Kumble had 619 Test wickets, an Arjuna Award and a Padma Shri against his name.
His Life Post Retirement
Post-retirement, Anil Kumble entered the world of cricket administration. He was elected to the post of president, Karnataka State Cricket Association by a huge margin. He was selected to play for the IPL team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, before deciding to take on the role of a consultant. He’s also made waves with his coffee table book of photographs, Wide Angle. This rather exceptional man can be expected to keep making headlines.
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