Date:01/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/01/stories/2008030158550600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Jumbo googly bowls ’em over

V. V. Subrahmanyam

Kumble makes surprise visit to M.L. Jaisimha Cricket Academy

HYDERABAD: It was a googly, which even the most famous cricketing family from the city – the Jaisimhas – or India star V.V.S. Laxman were not really ready to face it.

For, to their surprise, Indian captain Anil Kumble paid a visit to the M.L. Jaisimha 365 Cricket Academy on Friday morning. On the eve of launching the Jaisimha Sports Foundation, they could not have expected a more illustrious cricketer than Anil Kumble.

Vidyuth’s request

On a private visit, the genial and obliging skipper made a quick visit to the indoor cricket facility at the request of Vidyut Jaisimha, chief co-ordinator of the academy, and seemed to be pleased with the facility.

“The turf is really soft for the bowlers and this is really good,” was his first observation after he rolled his arm over at the ‘nets’.

And quite fittingly, by coincidence, stylish batsman V.V.S. Laxman too was there going through his daily regimen ahead of the hectic season.

‘A nice person’

“Well, I always had very high regard for Jaisimha right from my early days. He was a very nice person, willing to share his experience. And, he used to speak to me in Kannada,” recalled a smiling Kumble. “This is a wonderful start to realise the late cricketer’s dreams. Hope the children, who should get inspired by the seeing the likes of Laxman train along with them, keep up the tradition of Hyderabad producing quality cricketers,” he observed.

The Indian captain reminded that he continues to have wonderful rapport with Vidyuth and Vivek, Jaisimha’s sons.

“It is a great cricketing family and I am really pleased to see this wonderful indoor facility. Hope more children will join this and the results will be there in the coming days,” he said.