Anil Kumble was out of the Indian team because of me, admits harbhajan

Jul 3, 2016 at 11:59 AM

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Anil Kumble was out of the Indian team because of me, admits harbhajan

Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh have had a lot of shared history. Very few have the insight about Anil Kumble like his long-time bowling partner Harbhajan, who now feels that Test captain Virat Kohli will find the most ideal “friend, philosopher, and guide” as the duo aim to take Indian cricket to next level.

Here are the key excerpts from the interview Harbhajan recently gave to The Indian Express where the veteran spinner goes down memory lane to cherish his great time with new Indian coach Anil Kumble.

What’s your thoughts on Kumble becoming the coach?
It’s a great move. You can’t get a better coach to take the team forward. He is one of the greatest match-winners India has ever produced. It needs dedication, hard work, talent. In all the years I have played with him, I haven’t seen a single ball where he hasn’t tried to do something, achieve something. Whether as a captain or a player, he was absolutely well-prepared, spot on with everything he did.

What are your early memories of him?
I first played with him much before my India debut. I turned up for Chemplast – a club cricket team in Chennai – and he was the leader there. I was barely 17 then, and he helped me a lot. He was already India’s greatest leg-spinner and he would still give me lots of time. Then we started to play together for India, and even there he was always helpful. Even now, in terms of bowling or anything personal, I can walk up to him and ask him what I should do.

I agree Anil bhai had to sit outside because of me, because in those days I was playing well. I myself felt bad seeing him sit outside, because I was only 20 then, I was doing well, and my captain chose me.

Over the years, your relationship matured, you also became a senior bowler. How was the relationship later? Any specific examples where he helped you out …
Not just in the early years, even as late as the IPL, he has helped me a lot as a bowler. I had captained the Mumbai Indians team but hadn’t done well as a bowler. The moment Anil bhai took over, he spent a lot of time with me at the nets. And next year, I was the highest wicket-taker. And again in the second year when he was there, I took 18 wickets. It helped me a lot when he has been there.

We also talked about the other stuff that had gone wrong – those mental decisions that did it. We spoke a lot, we worked a lot at the nets.

Is he seen as an authoritative figure? Could that lead to him imposing himself?
No way. He isn’t that sort of a guy. He doesn’t impose himself on anyone. He is a thorough gentleman. He will give everyone their space. He is a simple man at the end of the day. He isn’t arrogant at all. Any young player can talk to him about this and that. He is very open, smart, intelligent; he was the most intelligent cricketer I have played with. If you google intelligence, Anilbhai’s name should come! He has a great cricketing brain, great cricketing knowledge. He is a simple man who would be in the background, and think and help the boys get better in cricket.

What you think, how will he be with youngsters?
One thing I can assure you, he would be honest, upfront, which is the most important thing. He would be a kind of coach who would work out the way to get the best of the boys. He would communicate clearly. He is a sorted in the head and will command a lot of respect. He would say and do the right sort of stuff to get the right result.

Will he have a problem gelling with youngsters?
Not at all. He would let people have their fun and give your space. He is not a ringmaster. He would let people be. Look, our team had me, Sehwag, Yuvraj, and others who had fun, and Kumble was never someone who would try to stop any of us. He is a man of stature, and with it comes respect, but that doesn’t mean he is not a fun person to be with.

So what do you think he can bring to the table as a coach?
He would bring more discipline in the team which is great. More discipline on the field and off the field. Laugh, joke, music – he won’t get into anybody’s personal space. He would allow you to be yourself.

You have seen Wright to Kirsten and beyond. What sort of coach you see Kumble as?
See Wright was in the background, he wouldn’t even be there in photographs. Gary Kirsten also preferred staying in the background, he would get the team together. I think Anil bhai would be similar. He would put lots of efforts and would see that credit goes to the team. Gary was like that. He was more of a friend, you could talk to him about anything.

I remember there was a match against Pakistan in Bangalore, and Anil bhai with the same run up started to bowl seam-up. That wicket had lots of cracks and bowling seam-up was dififcult to play than spin.

He used the pace he had and did really well. He is that kind of guy who would try different things to get wickets.

How was he off the field in playing days?
I have asked him in the past, during playing days, Anil bhai kitne der sote ho? (How long do you sleep?) He would go to his room by 10- 10.30 pm. And I rarely sleep early. So I have asked him. He said, nahi yaar, I go back to the room, try to read if sleep doesn’t come. Just give myself some time, not rush myself. I wake up early. Get up by 7 or something, and go about the day. He was very disciplined. There would be lots of planning and preparatory stuff to be done as a coach and I can see him doing it all diligently.

How was he as a captain? That could give us some clues about his strategic leadership.
He was a brilliant captain. He was honest, and not afraid of taking chances. He was one of the guys who started to play two spinners abroad. Of course, Sourav also played on and off, but Anil bhai would pick four bowlers who would get 20 wickets. Who had the best chance to pick those wickets? If it meant two spinners were your best option, he would go for it. I remember he would go to each and every player and tell them what their role is.

Was he known for that harsh stare at a misfield? Probably everyone apart from Tendulkar has got that look.

Forget when I misfielded. Even when I batted against him. Once I played a Lagaan shot – that shot over the keeper – against him on a couple of times. The third ball, I pushed a yorker back at him and I looked at him. I remember he glared at me! And I just turned my face and walked away!

One episode that stood out from his captaincy days was the monkey-gate incident in Australia. You were in the middle of trouble and the team rallied together.

As a leader, he was the one who got everyone together and told that we will stick by our team-mates. Whatever happens, we will fight it out together. If we had done some mistake, I will be the first one to apologise but when we haven’t made a mistake, then we should fight it out.

Looking back, are you happy that he was the captain that time?
Oh yes. I don’t know which another captain would have handled that tough a situation as smoothly as he did. It becomes important that the team stays together, there is no great tension hanging, and the communication is clear. He did all that. I am glad he was there as a captain to handle the way he handled it.

With Anil Kumble there, he would teach Indian cricket how to win Test matches on good tracks. To be a good team, you need to do a lot more than winning on rank turners. All his life, Kumble has played on good tracks. He will teach the players how to do it. Test matches ending in two days isn’t a good thing. We have to fight it out , and that’s how you win abroad. Our seamers don’t bowl in India, and our spinners don’t bowl long enough in the Test series. So the spinners aren’t ready, nor the seamers. Play on good tracks. You are a good team, you will win in four-and-half days and that’s how self-confidence builds. That will take you a long way – yes we know how to win abroad, how to win games on normal wickets.

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