A television grab, courtesyof NDTV 24X7, of Anil Radhakrishna Kumble announcing his retirement from one-day international cricket at the Karnataka State Cricket Association today.
As usual, “Jumbo” was gracefulness personified. He refused to fall for the bait of blaming anybody for his increasingly fewer appearances in the short version of the game. He said he never believed that seniority alone should secure a place for a player in the side. He said he wanted to quit four years ago but was dissuaded.
He said fans alone didn’t feel the disappointment for the World Cup debacle; so did the players. He said he understood what Rahul Dravid as captain was going through having led India in one ODI. He said the players weren’t running away from the media and the public.
He said he took away great memories of the Hero Cup finals in Calcutta when he bagged 6 fo 12; the 1996 World Cup victory over Pakistan in Bangalore; his own batting along with Javagal Srinath in Bangalore. And he said he was thinking of putting his experiences and photography between the covers of a book.
30 March 2007 at 7:34 pm
Bombataagi helidhya Guru . Ninage MUKKOOTI kannadigara aashirwaada haagu haarayke yidhe .
Siva ninnna haagu ninna YENDRU MakkaLna sendhaaki yittirli
yenu maadbedamma ‘JUST’ innondhu HATHU(10) KumblegaLanna train maadu aste saaku .
30 March 2007 at 8:00 pm
Kumble will be missed. His zest for the game is legendary. His humility, unmatched. I will always remember the evening my mother raced up to Kumble at Chinnaswamy stadium seeking his autograph… the securitymen tried to shoo her away; but Kumble, ever the gentleman, obliged my mother!
If only petty politics hadn’t played spoilsport in his career, he could’ve surpassed the likes of Warne. Well, he has, in the sense that one has never heard of any misbehaviour or misdemeanour from this ‘Smiling Assassin’.
All the best for your future Kumble sir!
30 March 2007 at 10:46 pm
As jumbo has said one of the best moments etched in our memory would be that match in Bangalore when jumbo and Mysore Express won the match for India and his mother and javagal’s mother ( was it grand Mother ? ) both cheering them from the stands. It was a glorious evening and a great one day match.
31 March 2007 at 12:20 am
Rightly said Jeevarathna. In that match it felt as if not just those two players but the entire stadium and the country was playing (praying) with them to win it. What a game!
Sadly that fighting spirit seems to have totally deserted most players in recent times.
31 March 2007 at 12:41 am
Kumble has been an excellent cricketer, knowledgeable and humility personified. It is sad that on more than one occasion, he was not preferred as the first choice spinner. Captaincy was another thing which eluded him. He always gave his best and bowled his heart out. His figures speak for themselves. We will all miss him
31 March 2007 at 12:08 pm
samastha kannadigaru hemme padabekaada saadhaka— anil kumble.
my personal experience— 5 years back i wanted to meet him, so i visited his house to try my luck, i was pleasently surprised the way anil kumble treated a fan like me, he gave his autograph,spoke to me in SPASTHA, ACHHA KANNADA.
HIS HUMILITY STUMPED ME. for me kumble is more than a cricket legend. he is a source of inspiration.
anil , i take a bow