Anil Kumble reveals team's 'cheeky' plans for his 10-wicket haul against Pakistan

Almost everyone in Indian cricket and most in world cricket hail Anil Kumble as one of the finest cricketing minds and a true gentleman of the game. But he is also remembered for the fantastic 10-wicket haul against Pakistan in 1999 Test in New Delhi. Kumble revealed some interesting stories on former teammate VVS Laxman's show "Very Very Special Stories" about this performance of his and explained how the rest of the Indian team helped him get the 10th wicket by trying to drop catches off the other bowlers.

When Kumble ran through the Pakistan line-up and picked up the wicket of Saqlain Mushtaq, he just needed one wicket to complete the 10-wicket haul and the other bowlers like Javagal Srinath were bowling wide deliveries to not let the last pair of Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram get out off his bowling. But Waqar Younis top-edged one which almost was caught by Sadagopan Ramesh but thankfully it fell just short of him.

“He (Ramesh) was supposed to drop the catch. That was the plan,” Kumble said very cheekily.

“I don’t think Ramesh heard the team plan, that’s how he is. He probably forgot that I had 9 out of 9 and was looking for the 10th, so he ran for the catch,” Kumble added.

But Kumble finally ended up getting the wicket of Wasim Akram who spooned a catch to none other than VVS Laxman at short leg to become only the second bowler in Test history after England's Jim Laker to take all ten wickets in an innings. Kumble was always the go-to bowler for any captain that he played under and always liked to take the responsibility to win the match for his team.

Pakistan had not lost a single wicket in the first session as the opening pair of Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi gave them a solid start. But Kumble being the match-winner he was, took the responsibility of winning India the match on the final day by cleaning up the entire Pakistan line-up on his own. 

“I was not at all happy during the lunch break. I remember our coach Anshuman Gaekwad coming and telling us to lift our game. I knew I had to take the responsibility as I was the senior spinner. I felt if I can get one on that 4th track then I could breakthrough,” Kumble asserted.

Cricket FootBall Kabaddi

Basketball Hockey

SportsCafe