Warning: This is a blog that lacks intellectuality. My levels of IQ stand as lofty as that of Paris Hilton's pet pomeranian and my knowledge of current affairs is as deep as Mandira Bedi's of cricket. I mostly ramble about the trivialities of my everyday life, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, friends n family, movies, cricket; basically thoughts that would enter the mind of any Sita, Gita or Rita.

Note: I was busy drooling over the pages of Playboy during my English classes in school. So please bare with any grammatical blunders or the obvious lack of classic literary writing. (I was a little confused between the selection of 'bear' and 'bare' in the sentence above so I resorted to my favorite inky-pinky-ponky routine)

If you happen to pass by, feel free to register your presence. coz yeh duniya bahot chhoti hai aur yeh zindagi bahot lambi. Kya pata, someday somewhere, you and I might end up discussing about it over a cup of garam garam masala tea.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The high flyer

I think I have primarily two split personalities. One, the average human being who behaves normally and follows blog etiquettes. And the other, the sports freak who at times gets too nostalgic and romantic about his favorite game. Today, the latter has taken over.


"..although I am still trying to find out how I can bowl legspin"
- Anil Kumble

They criticized him coz he could not turn the ball. He ended up taking 619 test wickets!

Yes, for the record, Kumble did not spin the ball. But with his high arm action, he extracted bounce which made batsmen dance to his tune on dusty Indian tracks. Also, Kumble had pace. (I mean his quicker delivery was faster than Prasad's slower delivery; or at times even faster than Prasad's normal delivery ;) ) Pace, which batsmen were not accusotmed to from a spinner. And most importantly, Kumble thrived on the age old philosophy of line n length. Mc'grath mastered it in pace. Kumble perfected it in spin.
When it came to Kumble, perseverance was the word. He was always probing on and around that off stump. And every now and then he used to slip in that fast straighter one. Invariably the batsman was trapped in front. The trademark Kumble dismissal. No wonder he holds the record for the most lbw dismissals. 156 to be precise!

Facts and figures apart, Kumble always gave his cent percent. He was alwasys the fighter. One relates to the word fighter and the mind immediately rushes back to Antigua 2002. A dead track. A broken jaw. A bandaged face. He walked onto the field like a gladiator marching onto a battlefield. Bowling with unbearable pain, he dismissed the Prince of Barbados.. Lara became part of a legend that will be passed on to generation after generation. If my grandchildren ever ask me to pick one cricketing instance that made me proud, it will easily be that moment.

Kumble has given so many such memories to cricket lovers like me. He has easily been India's biggest matchwinner at home. True, tracks were suited for spin bowling. But one still needed someone to go out there and do the job. Kumble did that with ease, more so of as a daily duty affair.

It has been an honour watching him play all these years. A champion cricketer. A champion person.

Adios Jumbo. A salute is all a mere mortal like me can offer.

19 comments:

HP said...

"If my grandchildren ever ask me to pick one cricketing instance that made me proud, it will easily be that moment." - ditto!

i remember watching that match and cheering for him before every ball he bowled. It didn't matter that i was watching him in my drawing room and he was half a world away. He exuded spirit and it got to everyone.

I bow to him.

Think Tank said...

urv ..u make one post bout cricket and vanish ...and then appear haundred tears later ..tujhe ho kya gaya hai? too busy wid life?

Anonymous said...

yes i remember that bandage face..
i remember that inside edge that gave him his first test century...
i remember that fast delivery which ended saba karim's career..
i also remember that 52 run stand with srinath which helped india defeat australia in a thrilling one day match..

kumble has been my fav fast bowler.. iT was the apt moment for a biggie jumbo like him to step down and earn praises .. HE is indeed the gentle giant

Sanchit said...

i tell u, this was all done to overshadow ganguly... :P
hail the kumbles..

Sarath said...

kumble's been one match winner that India will sorely miss

Stupidosaur said...

//I think I have primarily two split personalities. One, the average human being who behaves normally and follows blog etiquettes. And the other, the sports freak who at times gets too nostalgic and romantic about his favorite game.

Hehe seems for the last few posts, only the sports freak follows the blog etiquettes such as actually writing a post!

Should we include a question like this in aptitude tests / entrance exams?:

Anil Kumble:Cricket::Urv Bhatt:_________?

(The correct answer is Blogging)
(Reason;Both stalwarts have retired from their respective fields)

Trinaa said...

i always liked this guy!! :D
jai ho kumble bhaiya ki :)))))

ps: bt u my dear frnd will get a dhansu kick if i ever catch hold of u!! whr d hell do u keep disappearing?? haaaaaaaaaaaaan???

AB said...

frankly i hated this guy 10 years ago.. but the records have done my chopsey!

brilliant person and we will seriously miss him a lot..!

but still we can shout

anil chakka! anil chakka!

Urv said...

~ hp
Glad u could relate to that incident. :D I get goosebumps everytime I think of that day...

Urv said...

~ think tank
Sorry sorry :(

not too busy with life.. Just trying to figure out life..

Urv said...

~ chriz
Yeah.. and that 88 against South Africa with Azhar.. and that 6/12.. and that 10fer.. and those swinging deliveries against Pakistan in the last series.. :) :)

Urv said...

~ sanchit
Neah. Not possible to overshadow such a glorious carrer :P

Urv said...

~ sarath
I am not too sure about the missing part. For the last few years, he was not as effective as he used to be. He could no longer run through sides as he used to in the 90's..

Urv said...

~ stupidosaur
Hehehe. Sahi question hai :) but yaar mere ko inta jaldi retire mat kar de. abhi to ek saal bhi nai hua pehle post ko..

Urv said...

~ trinaa
Do you like him even more than that Ranbir guy :P :P :P

When do I keep disappearing??? mujh par galat ilzaam ;)

Urv said...

~ abhinav
Any specific reasons for the hatred dost?

True, he will be missed as a person.

AB said...

arey never hated him personally..! he is a nice guy always.. hated because he couldn't spin the ball and people called him a leg spinner.. but i take back my hatred and will miss him like anything.. a great loss to our cricket.. gem of a guy..!

Urv said...

~ abhinav
Ohkie ohkie.

//he couldn't spin the ball and people called him a leg spinner

Arre, its just like people calling Prasad a medium pacer ;)

Mads said...

wow. nice tribute.
im a big cricket fan. always admired kumble...from that bandaged wala face time....to his 10 wicket haul against pak (shahid afridi's pissed off face when he was given out when he was actually not out heehee :D) to his 1st century..to his 500th wicket..600th wicket... :(( to his sad and really brave stand after the sydney test loss to australia....
i love him... :((

 
CLICK HERE FOR BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND MYSPACE LAYOUTS