'I Could Not Have Given 100 Per Cent...'

Anil Radhakrishna Kumble, a towering frame of Kannadiga decency and dignity, and Australian discipline, determination and dedication, not to speak of towering achievements, has bid goodbye from Test match cricket, leaving a sudden and gaping hole in Indian cricket.

"Jumbo", as the Bangalore legspinner was christened by Navjot Singh Sidhu because his deliveries "took off" like a jet plane, grounded his aircraft on his favourite 22-yard runway in the nation’s capital, the Ferozshah Kotla where, 10 years ago, he had become only the second man in the game’s history to bag all 10 wickets in an innings.

Called for chucking as a young fast bowler (as a result of which his brother Dinesh Kumble egged him on to become a spin bowler), and decried by anybody who could hold a ball as a spinner who could not turn it, Kumble ended up with 619 Test match wickets, and excelled in both formats of the game over an 18-year career, showing that the first and most important battle in cricket is between the ears.

As Rahul Dravid wrote in a Cricinfo tribute three yearsago, "He has a degree in engineering and a PhD in legspin bowling."

Competitive in a way no other Indian, barring maybe Sachin Tendulkar has been, for so long, Kumble brought grit and steel to a mercurial side that thought talent was all. Fittingly, on the day prior to his retirement, he returned from hospital with 11 stitches on his small finger in the left hand to bowl at the Australians, and even took a fine return catch in the process.

After India declared their second innings in the Delhi Test, and the stunningdecision had been announced, Kumble came out to bowl the first over.Sachin Tendulkar, comrade-in-arms in many a battle together, took Kumble's cap and passed it on to umpire Billy Bowden, a gesture hebelieved would ensure a wicket for his oldest team-mate. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen today," Kumble later said with a smile.

Bowden shook Kumble's hand. As did Matthew Hayden, who also gave him a hug. Once the play was called off, Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan lifted Kumble and made a round of the ground. Laxman took over from Zaheer, and then it was Mahender Singh Dhoni who carriedhim around the ground on his shoulders.

When he walked out for the prize giving ceremony, Kumble was accompanied by wife Chetana and two kids. Though everyone around him seemed overwhelmed, Kumble was in full control of his emotions.

Excerpts from his comments:


On the decision to retire: It was yesterday, when I decided to retire. I won't be 100 per cent fit in Nagpur[for the fourth Test] and it is no use going in Nagpur without being 100 per cent fit, so I thought it is my time togo. It was slightly easy [to take the decision] because the body tells you how far you can go. As a cricketer you are always competitive, always saying, ‘I can do it’... whether you can or not only time will tell. I kept fighting. I kept getting responses from the body saying that you can’t. I fought that, I took various painkillers and tried all sorts of things but ultimately one injury to the hand said ‘enough now.’I was not satisfied with the level of commitment I was giving"

On his latest finger injury: I don’t know how I cut myself. It was a pretty nasty cut. Pretty deep, you could see the flesh. There are 11 stitches. The doctor said that I had to undergo the procedure under general anesthesia. I did tell him, ‘if you give me general anesthesia I’ll lose time, I’d like to go there and bowl.’ He said ‘look, it’s a medical decision, not a cricketing decision.’ The stitches will only come out on November 8, which would be the third day of the Nagpur Test.It is not easy, I could not have given 100 per cent and I did not want my team to suffer because ofthis. Anyway I'd decided that this will be my last series. So I decided last night that I should quit.

On how difficult it was to take the decision: It’s tough when you’ve played 18 years of international cricket. But Delhi has been really special. I have some fond memories, personally and also as a team... we’ve had a fantastic record here. But the body was asking questions every day. It was not easy to keep bowling the way I have been bowling the last 18 years, to keep going. Probably the injury that I had on the third day helped me make the decision.

On how his teammates took his decision: I informed my team mates one by one during the day. Then I informed the chairman of the selection committee just after lunch. I informed the board as well. At the end of the day, it is important for the people who matter the most, they needed to know that this would be my last game.The response I got, I was proud of it. I am proud to have shared dressing room withgreats, the likes of Sachin (Tendulkar), (VVS) Laxman, Rahul (Dravid) Sourav (Ganguly)and youngsters like Viru (Virender Sehwag) Zak (Zahir Khan) and other youngerplayers. When I started my career, of course, beginning with captains like Kapil (Dev) andAzhar (Mohd. Azzaruddin)

Any regrets?: I don't regret anything. I have given my 100 per cent. But I cherish many things like my first series in 1990 underAzhar, Kotla is very special as I got a 10-wicket haul here, Test victories all over the world.

What he would like to be remembered as:  I’d like to be remembered for giving 100% for the team every time I went out there. The new generation of cricketers will take Indian cricket ahead. That’s what sport is all about. When you play you want to better what your predecessors did and it’s the same with the next generation. We have an opportunity to dominate world cricket and be No 1 in all forms of the game. In one-day cricket we’re pretty close to the top, in Twenty20 we’re No. 1, I don’t think we are that far behind in Tests either. That’s how I would like to be remembered, as someone who raised the bar for the team.

Would he be in the dressing room with the team in Nagpur: Really, I would have liked to finish in Nagpur but I told you about the injury. I would like to see Sourav's last match and I would like to be a part of the team in its celebrations.I may not be going with the team tomorrow though. But I would want to be in dressing room in Nagpurfor Sourav's last and Laxman's 100th Test ...and see that India win the series.

On criticism: Criticism is a part and parcel of any sportsman’s life. I don’t think I took this decision based on people saying whether I should play or not play. This criticism started 18 years ago, when people said I couldn’t play two Test matches for India. I’ve done pretty well, looking back...But when I could not play these last two Tests (against Australia) I looked back at my career. I don't take a call based on criticism.As I said, I am not able to take the grinds of Test cricket anymore. It is difficult to continue like this. 

On challenges: I had to go through a lot of things in the early part of my career. People questioning me, about my ability, my fitness, my form, my bowling and my effectiveness. I had to go through that then, now right at the end of my career, and even in the middle. In that sense, after the shoulder surgery, I’ve done exceptionally well to have played eight years; to have bowled so many overs and to have got so many wickets, the second phase was certainly more satisfying. We had a lot more victories, not just in India but also abroad. Especially the Aussie series in 2004, the Pakistan series after that, West Indies and England, where we won. All those were a challenge and to come out triumphant was special.

On his biggest strength: My self belief. The fact that I had a strong belief in my abilities and the team knew exactly what I was capable of. People within your dressing room need to respect you, the opposition needs to respect you, who you are as a person and who you are as a cricketer. I can proudly say that I have given my 100% right through my career. The last five-six matches I played, things have not gone my way personally. The Sri Lanka series could have been different but over the last six-seven months we have shown a lot of resilience and are the only team that are really competing against the Aussies.

On whether he planned to continue playing in the Indian Premier League: IPL is a contractual obligation I have with my franchise. That’s something on which I’ll take a call when I get there but at this point in time I am obligated to play the IPL. In terms of international Cricket and first-class cricket, I think I am through

On the future of Indian Cricket: "I believe Indian cricket has gone further since the time I started in terms of result. It's only going to improve with the coming generations because you want to do better than your predecessors.I'm confident that the young team with some of the seniors still a part of it will dominated the world. We are already the number one team in the Twenty20 and approaching the top in ODI and just a little way behind inTests

On Sachin and the India cap:  I have spent a lot of time with him in the dressing room. It all started here in 1999 that he would give me the cap and say take wickets. Unfortunately, I didn't take any wickettoday. I have cherished this cap. I know how hard I have tried to get this (cap). It's a proud moment for me. It was not easy to satisfy all those watching. I thankeveryone for all the support but there were also sorrowssometime. 

On whether captaincy came late and last words: I’m lucky I at least got to be captain. At this moment I would like to thank my family, my parents, who gave me all the encouragement, supported me; my elder brother, who asked me to bowl leg-spin... I am still trying to find out how to do that. My wife and kids who have been a great support. It’ll be nice to spend some time with them. They’ll have to get used to seeing someone who they don’t see that often. It’ll be good to go backhome and spend time with my kids who don't get to see me much.