XtraTime Web Desk: Former India opener Virender Sehwag feels Anil Kumble was the real ‘Captain Cool’. The Nawab of Nazafgarh in a chat show ‘what the duck’ hosted by Vikram Sathaye, shared his thoughts about the greatest ever match winner of the country.
“I was captaining a test match in Ahmedabad against Sri Lanka. Harbhajan was bowling from one end and Anil bhai (Kumble) from the other and no one was willing to go out of attack. I got stuck in the middle. So, I asked Tendulkar to intervene. Anil bhai left his anger inside the ground. The moment he stepped outside the boundary ropes he was a different person altogether. I would say he was the actual ‘Captain Cool’ for me,” said Sehwag.
Kumble shared how he was influenced by Sehwag and missed a test hundred in Adelaide.
“I was batting with Ishant and we had put together a partnership of fifty runs and was going well. I was batting at 86 at tea. When I returned to the dressing room Viru (Sehwag) started clapping looking towards me saying Anil bhai kya kar rahe hon. Khatam karo jaldi. Aapko Ishant pe bharosha hain.
So this thought was in mind as I walked into bat after tea. The first ball I faced was pitched a little outside off stumps and my eyes got lit up as I tried to play a booming cover drive, only to get a knick to the wicketkeeper,”
Every cricketer has his own way of getting motivated. Kumble talked about how the team was united together in giving it back to South Africa coach Ray Jennings for his comments.
“Proteas coach Ray Jennings made a lose comment after the first test in Kanpur was draw. He said Indians take pillows to the ground because he felt we were casual and lazy on the ground. I don’t know what he meant by that. We won the test match at Calcutta. We all decided to write a message on a pillow and slip it into the away dressing room.”
Sehwag brought back memories of the night when Dravid and Kumble were out after drinking two pegs of whisky.
“Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble stood on their chairs and finished off the peg in a whisker. Few moments later both Anil bhai and Rahul were staring at each other as if what the hell have they taken. That was the best moment in my life, a night which I will never forget,” said Sehwag.