Kumble urges Indian media to criticise responsibly

by Amitjha | October 3, 2008 at 11:02 pm

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New Delhi:

Anil Kumble is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in both Test and One Day International matches. At present he is the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and one of only three bowlers to have taken more than 600 Test wickets. Kumble was appointed the captain of the Indian Test cricket team on 8 November 2007. Since his debut ininternational cricket in April 25, 1990, he has taken over 600 Test wickets and 330 ODI wickets. Although often criticized as not a big turner of the ball, Kumble is the second highest wicket taker among leg spinners in Test. He is one of only two bowlers in the history of cricket to have taken all 10 wickets in a test innings, the other being Jim Laker of England.. He was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours, by the Government of India in 2005.

"It is just that it needs to be a bit more respectful when people discuss cricketers," Kumble told a news conference on Thursday. "We don't mind the scrutiny but when it is done really rubbishly and the way it has been portrayed, then it hurts."

"As sportsmen we go out there to perform and win for the country and we have been doing that for the last 18 years and you know, when you do that (the scrutiny), you do that with respect and dignity then there is no problems with that," Kumble said.

Kumble, the third highest test wicket-taker, is the oldest at 37 and is being named captain on a series-by-series basis since Dravid abruptly resigned the job last year.

A BCCI official said on Wednesday that the five had been told to plan their retirements by December but Kumble said: "No one has spoken to us on these terms and neither have we, but it's all happening in the media."