15 interesting facts about Anil Kumble, India's new cricket coach

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today named former India captain Anil Kumble as the head coach of the Indian national cricket team. The onus will be on him now to turn team India's fortunes. 

Let’s take a look at some of the facts about Anil Kumble:

1. Anil Kumble started his carrier as a fast bowler;

2. Highest wicket-taker for India in ODIs and Tests and best bowling figure by an Indian in a ODI for 21 years (6-12 against West Indies) before it was broken by Stuart Binny;

3. One of only two bowlers ever to have taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings and only the second player (after Shane Warne) to score 2000 runs and take over 500 Test wickets; 

4. Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1996 Anil Kumble has been an Indian Cricket player and Captain of the Indian Test Cricket team;

5. A right handed batsman, Kumble specialized in Right Arm Leg Spin (Legbreak Googly) bowling;

6. He has taken the third biggest number of wickets in the history of Test Cricket, having taken more than 300 wickets in Test matches;

7. Anil made his debut in the One Day International (ODI) Cricket with the Australasia Cup tournament at Sharjah in the year 1989-90, in a match against Sri Lanka. He took 1 wicket in this match, and gave 42 runs;

8. Kumble had the record as an Indian who took first 50 test wickets in only 10 matches before Ashwin broke the record (took 50 wicket in 9 matches);

9. His Test Cricket career began with a Test Series against England played at Manchester in August 1990. Anil took 3 wickets and gave 105 runs in 43 overs out of which 7 were maiden ones;

10. Kumble has to his credit the fame of having taken all the 10 wickets in a single Test innings. He achieved this rare feat in February 1999 in a Test match played against Pakistan in Delhi. Apart from Jim Laker, he has been the only bowler in the world to have done so till date;

11. He has world record in caught and bowled dismissals;

12. He also represented the Test Cricket team of India in the year 2007 when the reigning Captain Rahul Dravid resigned from the post;

13. He led India to Test Series against Pakistan and Australia, in which the National team won by 1-0 and lost by 1-2 respectively; 

14. Anil Kumble took his retirement from cricket on 2 November 2008 at Feroz Shah Kotla cricket stadium at New Delhi, India;

15. Kumble got Arjuna and Padma Shri awards from the Government of India in the year 1995 and 2005. He was appointed as the chairman of ICC cricket committee in 2012.