PTI
Perth, Jan 18: Having become the third bowler in the world to scalp 600 test wickets, Indian skipper Anil Kumble on Thursday admitted he was motivated to prove his critics wrong and criticism spurred him to strive for better results.
“Right through my career, there have been a lot of criticisms, critics who egg you on to go out and prove yourself,” said a visibly happy Kumble after the second day's play at WACA.
“Whenever I was out of the team there was something for me to get better,” he added. Kumble has been an unconventional bowler during his career so far but he said in order to succeed it never really mattered to him.
“What is important for a bowler is to put doubts in the mind of the batsmen, something which I have been able to do for all these years.
“It doesn't matter whether you bowl bouncers, swing it, spin or bowl it with pace. The important thing is to create doubts in the mind of a batsman.”
Fittingly, Kumble's 600th wicket came off a catch by his state pal Rahul Dravid who has taken the most catches - 56 - off his bowling. Also at hand was Adam Gilchrist, the not out batsman for Australia, at the crease.
“He (Gilchrist) had called me up from Bangladesh when I took my 500 test wicket and today, at the end of the day, I jokingly told him it would have been great if he was my 600th victim,” he said.
Kumble, when he started his career as a 13-year-old, was given only three balls to bowl by the selectors but he does not look back at it with any regret or rancour.
“The kind of selection we have back home, when you're a 13 or 14-year-old, there are 1000 kids to show their talent.” Kumble has picked up 220 wickets in the last four years and put it down to his experience of bowling in different conditions.
“I probably am more relaxed and the experience I have had of bowling in different conditions, has been a help”, he pointed out. Coming back to the state of the third test, Kumble praised his seamers but cautioned that there was still a lot of cricket left in the game.
“It's important that we play good cricket. We have done so in the last two days and if we can carry the momentum tomorrow, we have a great chance (of winning the test).
“I am really proud of my seamers. If you look at the experience we have had, we have really held up together very well.
“We came close to picking up Australia cheaply in Sydney on the first day. I am proud we have learnt where we left off.
“RP, at such a young age, is leading the attack well. Irfan and Ishant supported him brilliantly.”
Kumble hoped Virender Sehwag would lead the way for India on the third day. “He's that sort of a batsman. He goes out and plays his game. If he stays there for a session or more, we would be in the driver's seat.”