Anil Kumble Recounts His Test Century Against England At The Oval In 2007

Former Indian legendary spin-bowler Anil Kumble has reflected on his Test century that came against England in 2007. It was the last time that the Indian team won a Test series in England before losing three times on the bounce. Anil Kumble recollected that match in a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his youtube show ‘DRS with Ash’.

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Anil Kumble’s lone Test hundred arrived at the Oval in the third Test of the series. The decorated leg-spinner was the only one to score a ton in the series for India and in that particular match, it was after five half-centuries in the Indian innings that an Indian batsman reached three figures. Kumble was unbeaten in the first innings at 110 and 8 in the second.

Anil Kumble recalled having an expression during the team meeting that with the class of batsmen they had, it was disappointing not to have a single hundred. The 49-year old did not think that he had to muster a hundred to set an example for the elite batsmen in their ranks.

“In fact, I made a comment before the start of the Test match. When we sat down for the team meeting, suggesting that, look, it is a bit of a disappointment that with this kind of ability in this room, we still don’t have a hundred in this series. And I didn’t realise that I had to show the great batsman of the team how to get a hundred,” the Karnataka-born stated.

“More than me, if you look at the balcony, my teammates were extremely happy” : Anil Kumble

The 132-Test veteran, who reached the milestone in his 117th fixture, named the hundred as a special one, which was years in the making. He termed it as guesswork and got it right in his 117th Test match. Kumble added that more than him his teammates were happy with VVS Laxman falling off the balcony while celebrating.

“The hundred certainly was very special. Because I tried it…tried, tried, tried from the first game, and I got in right in the 117th. So it was probably a guesswork for me as well. Guessing what the bowler would do, and then I got all the guesswork right in the 117th Test match. More than me, if you look at the balcony, my teammates were extremely happy. I think Laxman just fell off celebrating my hundred,” the former Indian coach added.

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