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It was a crucial wicket, says Anil Kumble
A FINE GESTURE: Adam Gilchrist had the grace to congratulate Anil Kumble on reaching his landmark.
Perth: Anil Kumble, who on Thursday became only the third bowler to take 600 Test wickets, typically put team before self as he addressed the press in the evening.
“It was important, the breakthrough, because they (Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist) were building a good partnership,” said Kumble of Symonds’s wicket, his 600th. “You have to appeal and look at the umpire to get the decision, and it came about and I was really happy because it was a crucial wicket.”
Kumble said it was fitting that Rahul Dravid, who has taken the most catches off the leg-spinner’s bowling, was involved in the dismissal.
What did number 600 mean to him? “It means a lot to me,” said the 37-year-old. “Having played for so long when some people don’t think you’d play two Tests, it’s about belief. But, I have taken it (criticism) in the right way. When I was out of the team, I always thought there was something I could get better at.”
Asked if the achievement proved his belief that style of bowling didn’t matter as much as efficacy, Kumble said, “I hope so. All you need to do is create doubt in the batsman’s mind. Whether you do that bowling straight or bowling spin or bowling bouncers doesn’t matter.
“It’s gone well for me, and hopefully it will go on for these two matches, and we’ll take it from there.”
On Gilchrist congratulating him in the centre, Kumble said: “He called me when I got my 500th from Bangladesh. He’s one of those great guys, and I just joked with him at the end that it would have been nice if he was my 600th.”
‘We bowled brilliantly’The Indian captain was lavish in his praise for his young seam attack, which put India in a strong position on day two of the third Test.
“I thought we bowled brilliantly first up with Irfan (Pathan), R.P. (Singh) and Ishant (Sharma)... and I was really proud,” said Kumble.
“If you look at the (lack of) experience in the fast bowling department, they really have held together well throughout this Test series. We came close to picking up Australia pretty cheaply in Sydney in the first innings, but unfortunately that did not happen.
“But we learned from where we left off and I am really proud of the fact that RP at such a young age is leading the attack, and Ishant and Irfan supported him. We bowled brilliantly in partnerships. It’s important we play good cricket tomorrow, and take the momentum forward. If we do that and bowl like we did in the first innings, we have a great chance (of winning).”
R.P. Singh, who finished with four for 68, said: “It is such a nice feeling the captain feels I am leading this bowling attack. Anil bhai is my coach and a very good senior. Six-hundred wickets is a big number for me, beyond my imagination.”
Adam Gilchrist, one of R.P. Singh’s victims and part of a counter-attacking stand with Andrew Symonds, said: “A swinging ball anywhere in the world gives you something extra to contend with, and they definitely have done that well.”
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