Monday, November 03, 2008

Fab four NAY Fab five

There are farewells .... and then there are FAREWELLS.
How many of us remember Kapil Dev's farewell, or for that matter Sunil Gavaskar's farewell.
And how many will forget Anil Kumble's farewell!
What timing, what emotion, and what dignity. There were so many critics who were questioning his form, fitness and inclusion in the India team. Even they would have got a lump in their throats when the great cricketer bid good bye.
Yours truly was actually somewhere in the middle. I did believe (probably hope) for him to turn on his magic at THE Kotla. He did not and eventually India did miss one fully functional and effective spinner, (though Harbhajan's injury made the decision easier for the selectors) and maybe because of that the Aussies were able to fetch a draw (that and the atrocious fielding too).
But eventually it was appropriate that Anil Kumble's last test match over was delivered on the Kotla turf. The place where his reinstatement into the India team began after he was dropped in 1992 after his first series. It was here Kumble broke Delhi's back in the Irani trophy. And then of course a PERFECT 10 in a test innings at Kotla again. So this is his luckiest pitch and fortune conspired in making it his last test and announcing his retirement as well.
Sunil Gavaskar once asked a question about Anil Kumble because he is (was) always underrated. "How many runs are equal to 500 wickets - 15,000?" That talks about his contribution and greatness. If you combine Saurav's and Laxman's runs, they do not total 15,000. So one could argue that Kumble's contribution to Indian cricket was greater than both these gentleman combined!
Its high time our media stopped talking about the era of 'Fab Four' coming to an end. They have done enough injustice for very long by coining the term - 'Fab Four' which leaves out the very important fifth element of this resurgent era of Indian cricket - Anil Kumble.

Please, lets all refer to this era as the era of 'Fab Five' from now on. The four would not have been so effective had there not been the very important lone warrior who had the capability to run through the opposition line up. वो जिसका opposition को खौफ रहता था.

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