Birthday special: Anil Kumble – Lesser known facts about the spin wizard

India have been renowned for possessing some of the most skilful spinners over the years, but none of them close came to the former Indian great Anil Kumble. A leg-spinner by trade, Kumble was as orthodox as they came because he relied on pace and bounce more than trajectory and spin. Batters often tried to tackle him more like a medium pacer than a spinner. His mastery of the flipper took him to great heights in cricket, especially in the traditional format of the game. With 956 wickets to his name, the fourth-leading wicket-taker in Tests, Kumble is regarded as one of the greatest spinners of all time, along with contemporaries Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan. On his 52nd birthday, we look at some of the lesser-known facts about the spin wizard.

Started his career as a fast bowler

The history of Indian cricket would have taken a different direction had Anil Kumble stuck to his fast-bowling roots. Kumble started his career as a fast bowler only to switch to being a spinner later in his career. Although Kumble was a spinner, he was often witnessed bowling at a much higher pace compared to other spinners in the world. He even credited his earlier fast bowling days in helping him to master the flipper.

Holds a degree in mechanical engineering

Known for his grit and tremendous mental fortitude on the pitch, Anil Kumble was no slouch in academics. The colossal figure from Banglaore holds a degree in mechanical engineering, rendering him one of the most educated cricketers in the country.

Nicknamed jumbo because of his large feet

Throughout his playing career, the Indian great was referred to as ‘Jumbo’, a name given to him by former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu. While the most popular reason behind the name was Kumble’s rapid spinning deliveries, some theories suggest that the name originated due to the cricketer’s massive feet.

Circle named after him in Bangalore

Anil Kumble was born and bred in Bangalore, a city he adores with all his heart. His hometown responded in kind in 1999 after he grabbed a world-record ten-wicket haul in an innings against Pakistan. The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike decided to rename Oriental Circle on M G Road as Anil Kumble circle in recognition of the Indian cricketer’s record-shattering haul.