Top 3 performances of Anil Kumble in Tests

Anil Kumble, India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests and ODIs, was born on this day, October 17, in 1970. He was born to Krishna Swamy and Saroja in Bengaluru in Karnataka and has a brother, Dinesh.

Anil Kumble made his India Test debut in 1990 against Manchester and went on to take 619 wickets at an average of 29.65 in 132 Tests, including eight ten-fers and 35 fifers, with the best bowling figures of 10/74. Kumble also captained India from 2007 to 2008, winning a Test series against Pakistan at home. He called time as the third-highest Test wicket-taker in 2008.

Here are the top 3 performances of Anil Kumble in tests:

3. 110* vs England, the Oval, 2007

Anil Kumble is known as one of the best spinners of all time in Test cricket. But he was also an accomplished batter with seven centuries in First Class cricket and hit five fifties in Test cricket. However, his most joyous moment in Tests came when he scored his one and only Test century. This came in the third test of the 2007 series in England at the Oval. 

India opted to bat first and posted 664 runs, with Kumble scoring 110* with 16 fours and one six, MS Dhoni amassing 92, and Dinesh Karthik adding 91. Kumble’s joy on scoring his only Test hundred was a treat to watch, as he had come close against South Africa, scoring 88, and against Australia, scoring 87 runs. Kumble starred with the ball as well, taking 3/94 in the first innings and two wickets in the second innings, winning the Player of the Match award.

2. 8/141 vs Australia, Sydney, 2004

Kumble’s bowling figures remain the best by an Indian spinner in Australia. His feat came in the fourth Test in Sydney of the heated 2008 Test series. India won the toss and batted first, posting a humongous 705/7d, with Sachin Tendulkar scoring a milestone and famed 241 and VVS Laxman making 178.

In response, Australia slammed 474 with centuries by Justin Langer and Simon Katich, but the star with the ball was Kumble, who bowled 46.5 overs and took eight wickets for 141 runs. This was a gargantuan effort from Kumble, who took the wickets of Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, and Katich, amongst others.

1. 10/74 vs Pakistan, Delhi, 1999

Kumble created history in the second Test between India and Pakistan in Delhi in 1999. India had come into the Test with a close loss in the first Test in Chennai. India batted first and posted 252, with S. Ramesh and Mohammad Azharuddin scoring fifties. Pakistan responded with 172, and Anil Kumble took 4/72.

India posted 339 in the second innings, with Ramesh scoring 96 and Sourav Ganguly making 62*, setting Pakistan 420 runs to win. Enter Kumble, who dismantled Pakistan with precision on a turning track in Delhi. Pakistan folded for 207, with Kumble taking a record 10/74, becoming only the second bowler in Tests to take all ten wickets in an innings. This remains the best bowling figure by an Indian in Tests.

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