If we think of sporting heroes, we can always classify them into two categories.
- Naturally talented people who worked hard
- Mentally tough people who understood their limitations and worked hard to overcome them
Sir Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Shane Warne, Viv Richards belong to the first category while Steve Waugh, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Glenn McGrath belong to the second. The first set of people get a lot of attention, praise, and motivation to succeed; the world looks at the second set only after they succeed. But make no mistake – It's the second set of people who motivate ordinary men to conquer impossible things and become a role model. Such a role model is Anil Kumble.
Great Player - someone who believes in himself and faces challenges head on
"The mark of a great player is in his ability to come back. The great champions have all come back from defeat."
Anil Kumble always had the ability to prove the world wrong. After his test debut in 1990, he waited for two years to record his first come back. His figures of 6 for 53 at Johannesburg proved the world that he is here to stay.
For ten years he was India's match winner. During those ten years, he scripted test series victories against England (1993), Zimbabwe (1993), Srilanka (1994), New Zealand (1995), and Pakistan (1999). Ten years is a long time and though his mind was always energetic, his body needed rest. His shoulder needed a surgery. After the Australian series in 2001, Harbhajan Singh emerged as the first choice spinner and it was increasingly difficult for Kumble to play away tests.
In December 2003, Kumble got a chance to play the second Test against Australia after Harbhajan Singh was injured, and delivered one of his best performances; taking 24 wickets over three Tests as India drew the series. Throughout the series, Kumble demonstrated that he can be as potent a strike bowler overseas as at home and lodges his next comeback.
Injury caught up again in 2004 and was ruled out of the one-day series against Pakistan but made the Test squad. Four wickets on the fourth day of the third and final Test at Rawalpindi scripted India's first-ever series win in Pakistan.
He was declared misfit for one-day and was dropped from the one day squad in 2005. Disappointed Kumble, returned to domestic first-class cricket after six years, in the Ranji Trophy season opener in Delhi. He came back to Kotla for the second test against Srilanka and takes 10 wickets yet again. In 2006, bowled India to a historical series victory in the Caribbean, 35 years after they last did so under Ajit Wadekar. Took 6 for 78 to bowl West Indies out for 219 as they chased 269 at Sabina Park.
He injured his shoulder again in 2006, is dropped from Champions Trophy. He returned in 2007 – announced retirement from one day, scored a maiden Test hundred at the Oval, became the captain of India after Rahul Dravid's resignation, faced tough test in Sydney test with controversies around and motivated the team to win the next test at Perth.
The tale of Kumble is not scripted by God. Because it's not rosy everywhere. It's a tale scripted by a man with an extra-ordinary mind which knew how to overcome challenges, and a heart which appreciated others as much as he enjoyed his own success.
A visionary
Today, if India is ranked as No.1 in Tests, it is because of Sachin, Rahul, Sourav, Laxman, and Kumble. They envisioned it first. They were the ones who could not enjoy the test victories at home. Wherever they went, people told them – "Lions at home, cats outside." They wanted to knock this tag off and they wanted to win away tests badly. And they instilled the same desire in Sehwag, Zaheer, Harbhajan, and a whole lot of youngsters.
While it is easier for the batsman to do it, for a spinner bowling in greener pitches is a challenge. Still Kumble wanted to do it. And his performances of 7 for 159 at Headingley in 2002, 5 for 154 at Adelaide in 2003, 8 for 141 at Sydney in 2003, 4 for 47 at Rawalpindi in 2004 are evidences of how when the batsman scored runs outside, Kumble's pressure was too much for the opposition to handle.
An ardent student
After he broke Kapil's record of 434 wickets, the world accepted him as a master of his craft. Being an ardent student of the game, he added new weapons to his deadly flipper. When he had to take a break because of his shoulder, he perfected the slow, loopy googly, added variations to his leg break, used the crease to great effect, and varied his angles.
Achieving success is easier than retaining it. Because anybody, even if he has not faced the bowler, knows exactly what the bowler's action is, the wrist position, the kind of deliveries that he would bowl, before actually playing a match against him. You have to keep bowling different variations if you have to be successful and these variations brought a new dimension to Kumble's bowling.
Coming from South India where education is the top priority, he took the education a little further. He gave himself homework, analyzed the batsmen, scrutinized his own bowling, and made detailed plans. Such was his discipline.
Gentleman Captain
"Only one team was playing in the spirit of the game."
The cricketing fraternity gave importance to these words because of the man who uttered them. The personality of Kumble, the respect he commands from his team and the opposition, the calmness in his voice combined with truth in his eyes ensured the controversy of Sydney test was outside the Indian dressing room. He kept his cool and led the team admirably both on and off the field.
As a captain who believed in cricket doing the talk, he motivated his team to conquer Perth and bring the much needed happiness and calmness after the storm.
100% cricketer
When we think of Kumble, the first image that comes to mind is this.
This is the most visible expression of Anil's commitment. But let's not forget, it is these long tiring spells and endless commitment that makes Kumble one of India's greatest match winner.
"Anil Kumble became the best cricketer he could be" – Shane Warne
This above quote from the spin wizard himself sums it up quite nicely. Here is a man who extracted every ounce of energy from within to extract the bounce from the pitches.
"You need to teach people how to get wickets, not go on about technique," Kumble says
True, cricket is played in the mind. Once your mind is set to become a strike bowler, it does not matter if you spin the ball 4 inches away to go past the outside edge or if you spin just a few cms to get the outside edge to the first slip.
I consider sports closest to the challenges of everyday's life. Success and defeat happens every day in sports. Watching a sportsman go through the highs and lows are lessons in itself. And the biggest lesson to learn from Anil 'Jumbo' Kumble is "Never, never, never, give up."
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