Kumble one-handedly encounters Pakistan.

From claiming more than 600 wickets in tests, 337 in ODIs, to playing with a broken jaw, this man has done it all. But, there is another feat that adds to his greatness. Only two bowlers in Test Cricket history have manged to take all the ten wickets in a Test innings. He is one of them. Alongside England's Jim Laker, he boasts of the achievement. Because taking 5 wickets is too mainstream! Here TheCrickBlog's Samip Purohit takes us back to the wonderful spell:

Anil Kumble or Jumbo as he is fondly called as took 10 wickets in an innings in the match vs.Pakistan. The venue was Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi in the year 1999. The target for the Pakistanis was a huge 420. It was chaseable considering Pakistan’s batting unit that time. But Kumble had other motives. There was a huge opening stand for Pakistan of 101 where the openers Shahid Afridi and Saaed Anwar were enjoying every bit of Indian bowling.

Then came the match changer Kumble in the 25^th over of the game. Kumble bowled outside off to tease Shahid Afridi who nicked one to Nayan Mongia and this was the big breakthrough that India wanted. Ijaz Ahmed walked in at No.3 but only to last one ball as Kumble took 2 in 2. Inzaman Ul-Haq survived the hattrick ball but didn’t survive too long as Pakistan were 115-3.

After two balls Mohammad Yousuf was sent back to the hut by Kumble as he played the wrong line and was trapped plumb in front. Moin Khan a good player of spin was also done by Kumble as he edged one to the slips. Kumble had picked 5 wickets now and Pakistan were toterring at 127-5 from 101-0.

 

A ray of hope was still left in the Pakistan team as Saeed Anwar was batting brilliantly at 69. Kumble came again and took the most crucial wicket for India as VVS Laxman completed a good catch at short leg. Salim Malik and Wasim Akram negotiated the bowling attack for an hour but Kumble was at his best that day. He bowled Malik and took the 7^th wicket. He was inching closer to rewrite the history which was written by Jim Laker as he is only the other bowler to take all the wickets in an innings of a test. He achieved this feat in 1956.

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After some overs Kumble took the wicket of Mushtaq Ahmed as he gave a catch to Dravid at slips. The very next ball Kumble took Saqlain Mushtaq front of the stumps. History was waiting to be rewritten in golden words once again after 1956. Kumble surely would have hoped that the other bowlers in the attack should not pick up the last wicket and that was the plan. Kumble came to bowl his 20^th over and took the 10^th wicket of Akram as Laxman took a brilliant catch at short leg. YES,Anil Kumble had picked all the wickets of Pakistan as Pakistan lost the game by 212 runs.