India’s newly-appointed Test captain Anil Kumble admitted he was a stop-gap arrangement but said he looked forward to the challenge at the tail end of his career.
Kumble, 37, was Thursday named captain for the upcoming three-Test home series against Pakistan as the selectors opted to give front-runner Mahendra Singh Dhoni more experience of the five-day game.
"I guess it has come at a stage when the next guy takes over and I have to make sure there is a smooth transition," Kumble told reporters in his home city of Bangalore.
"It has come at the fag end of my career. But it has given me additional motivation to carry on and perform."
Dhoni, 26, who took over as one-day and Twenty20 captain in September, was considered the leading candidate for the Test role after senior pro Sachin Tendulkar turned down an offer from the selectors.
But the five-man selection committee, headed by former captain Dilip Vengsarkar, felt Dhoni's 20 Tests in two years left the dashing wicketkeeper-batsman too raw to assume the mantle.
Kumble, a veteran of 118 Tests, succeeds his Karnataka team-mate Rahul Dravid, who unexpectedly resigned as captain after the England tour in September for unspecified reasons.
The leg-spinner is India's most successful bowler and his 566 Test wickets are bettered only by Australia's Shane Warne (708) and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, who had 700 wickets before the ongoing Brisbane Test.
"I am not looking far ahead," said Kumble, who was appointed only for the Pakistan series even though India tour Australia for four Tests in mid-December before hosting South Africa for three more Tests in March.
Article from: http://www.indyablue.indya.com/cricket/DisplayArticleDetails-news,cricket,2007,November,News_20071109_8-Cricket.aspx
Kumble, 37, was Thursday named captain for the upcoming three-Test home series against Pakistan as the selectors opted to give front-runner Mahendra Singh Dhoni more experience of the five-day game.
"I guess it has come at a stage when the next guy takes over and I have to make sure there is a smooth transition," Kumble told reporters in his home city of Bangalore.
"It has come at the fag end of my career. But it has given me additional motivation to carry on and perform."
Dhoni, 26, who took over as one-day and Twenty20 captain in September, was considered the leading candidate for the Test role after senior pro Sachin Tendulkar turned down an offer from the selectors.
But the five-man selection committee, headed by former captain Dilip Vengsarkar, felt Dhoni's 20 Tests in two years left the dashing wicketkeeper-batsman too raw to assume the mantle.
Kumble, a veteran of 118 Tests, succeeds his Karnataka team-mate Rahul Dravid, who unexpectedly resigned as captain after the England tour in September for unspecified reasons.
The leg-spinner is India's most successful bowler and his 566 Test wickets are bettered only by Australia's Shane Warne (708) and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, who had 700 wickets before the ongoing Brisbane Test.
"I am not looking far ahead," said Kumble, who was appointed only for the Pakistan series even though India tour Australia for four Tests in mid-December before hosting South Africa for three more Tests in March.
Article from: http://www.indyablue.indya.com/cricket/DisplayArticleDetails-news,cricket,2007,November,News_20071109_8-Cricket.aspx
1 comment:
Good collection about Anil.But what about nepali cricketer????
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