The year 1999 is widely remembered for the Kargil War between India and Pakistan but before that clash, the two countries faced each other in the cricket battle. In January 1999, Pakistan toured India to play two-match Test series which ended in a draw but the rivalry between the two nations was visible in the field. The Indian player who etched history during the series was none other than Anil Kumble.
The leg-spinner claimed all the 10 wickets in the second innings of the second Test as Pakistan lost that match by 212 runs.
No doubt, Indian fans’ one of the most cherished memory is Anil Kumble bringing Pakistan on their knees in the 1999 Test match in Delhi.
In the recent interaction, Anil Kumble recalled his famous knock and revealed how his teammate Jagval Srinath helped him to achieve the unique feat.
The visitors Pakistan was in the lead after winning the first Test match. In that match, Sachin Tendulkar tried his best to take the team across the line but didn’t get the support from the other end. Eventually, he lost his wicket for 136 runs and India lost the first Test by 12 runs.
The men in blue were surely under pressure after losing the first Test at home. The fans were also disappointed with India’s loss. However, Kumble came out as their hope. He ruined Pakistan’s batting line up while chasing 420 runs in the second Test at Feroz Shah Kotla.
Javagal Srinath sacrificed for Anil Kumble:
Anil Kumble reminisced that before he picked his last wicket, Javagal Srinath had to bowl an over. The pacer was under pressure because he didn’t want to pick the 10th wicket to ruin Kumble’s achievement. As per the spinner, it was the toughest over for Srinath. However, he managed to go wicketless and Kumble in the next over dismissed Wasim Akram to claim his 10th wicket.
“After tea, I got 7, 8 and 9. And finished my over and Javagal Srinath had to bowl one, that was probably the toughest he had to bowl,” Kumble told Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram chat.
“He had to unlearn all his skills and bowl wide. But I didn’t ask him, believe me. I thought, ‘Let’s give Wasim a single.’ But I thought I had to get one that over, because it would have been embarrassing to ask one more. I was just destined. One down in a series, against Pakistan, just so special.”
Anil Kumble became the second bowler to register a 10-wicket haul
Anil Kumble took only 26.3 overs to achieve the feat, picking 10 wickets for 60 runs. He became the second bowler in the history of the sport to take a ten-wicket haul.
The first bowler to take a ten-wicket haul was Jim Laker, off-spinner from England, against Australia back in 1956. Laker bowled a spell of 10/53.
Former Indian coach Anil Kumble retired from the sport as the leading wicket-taker in Tests, picking 619 wickets in 132 Test matches.