Watch: On this day, Anil Kumble became the second bowler to take 10 wickets in an innings in Tests
He became the first Indian bowler to achieve this stupendous feat.
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Feb 7, 2023 1:07 pm
Anil Kumble (Source:Twitter)
On this day legendary India leg-spinner Anil Kumble picked up 10 wickets in 1999 against Pakistan at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, now known as the Arun Jaitley Stadium, in Delhi. He became the second bowler to pick all ten wickets in an innings after Jim Laker from England. The match was set up interestingly, India had posted a target of 420 that Pakistan needed to chase down.
The Men in Green started in spanking fashion as Pakistan scored 101 runs for the opening wicket courtesy of Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar. When Kumble came into the attack, he had an immediate impact on the game as he dismissed Shahid Afridi for 41. This was the opening that India needed and it was a pure Kumble show.
Wasim Akram was Anil Kumble’s 10th wicket in that match
He kept going at the Pakistan batting lineup and picked wickets at regular stages to ensure that Pakistan did not have any chance of making it back into the match. India soon reduced Pakistan to 128-6. Then the Men in Green were reduced to 9-198. His best friend and Karnataka mate Javagal Srinath bowled away from the batter for an over so that no one else would get the 10th wicket and it also gave the wrist spinner a chance to pick up the 10th wicket, which he did in the 61st over. He picked up Wasim Akram in the next over and VVS Laxman had taken the catch.
This was a historic feat as he became only the second bowler to achieve this milestone on that day. This effort guided India to a 212-run win against the arch-rivals. When the match ended Kumble finished with figures of 10-74 to cap off a wonderful day for him. In an amazing Test career, he has picked up 619 wickets at an average of 29.65 with an economy rate of 2.7. He also picked up 337 ODI wickets at an average of 30.9 and an economy rate of 4.31.
He is the third-highest wicket-taker (spinner) in Test cricket behind Muttiah Muralitharan, who picked up 800 wickets in Test Cricket and Shame Warne who picked up 708 wickets in the longest format. The feat by Kumble is very memorable and will be remembered forever in the hearts of cricket fans.
