Anil Kumble - A Jumbo birthday !!

As one of my favorites Anil ‘Saral’ Kumble celebrates his 47th birthday, I go back to a childhood story which my uncle had told me and I always correlated it with ‘The Jumbo’.

Once upon a time there was a sincere medical student whom the college Dean didn’t feel fit enough to be a doctor. Tired enough of this student not leaving the college, the Dean finally offered him the degree on a condition that he will treat every patient through lime juice only and no other medicine... . Years down the line , the Dean fell seriously ill and no one could treat him , then he heard of a famous doctor in a remote town who was the last option left. The Dean met the doctor and within days , was back to full fitness. The Dean asked the doctor who are you and what was the medicine? The doctor disclosed his identity and told the Dean who he was ? He was the same student who was not fit enough to be a doctor and the medicine was Lime Juice. Moral of the story ? “ Perseverance ,sincerity, focused commitment and loyalty to self and the profession always pays and returns the dividends’.

Sounds so close to Kumble who was supposed to be a fast bowler and based on the advice from his coaches , shifted to spin. When he started his Leg Spin , people failed to identify where the ball was turning to? as it always seemed straight (Saral in Marathi). No body treated him as a spinner but could not gauge if he was a fast bowler or slower fast or faster slow. The critics of the game banged his talent and wondered whether he would ever get a chance. I always felt as if ( though hypothetical) , Kumble must have agreed to become a spinner on the condition that he would never spin and would not call himself the master of the art, similar to the doctor above and proved all his critics wrong by becoming the highest wicket taker for India , 619 to be precise and proved the same morals as those of the doctor mentioned.

Jumbo was always a man on mission, still remember him getting LARA out when his (Kumble’s) jaw was broken and he had come on the field with face bandaged. Hero cup final when through his flippers and googlies he had his career best (and the then India best) of 6/12 against the Windies at Kolkata. His 10 in an innings Laker (Jim) phenomenon against Pakistan had brought the whole country to a standstill and who can forget his baby faced jumping in the joy when he scored his only Test century for India against England and remember , in that series none of the greats like Sachin or Dravid could score any. He still remains the only Leggie from India ever to captain a Test side.

Kumble called it quits with more than 900 wickets and had a great run as India coach which had an abrupt end.

Have a great birthday Jumbo and may you continue bringing in laurels to India , albeit in different roles.

- Jayawant