ANIL KUMBLE 110*, 2007
Anil Kumble is India’s leading wicket-taker with 619 wickets in 132 Tests and has also scored 2506 runs with 5 fifties to his name. Though he primarily played as a bowler, he took pride in his batting and his ability to give support to a set batsman to move the score forward.
He has played many supporting innings for India over the time including a brilliant 88 against South Africa, in support to a rampaging Mohd Azharuddin in 1996. However, if you ever asked him which innings he treasures the most, the answer would probably be his one and only Test century, which came at the Oval in 2007.
It was the third match of the series played at the Oval, which India was leading 1-0 and was on the verge of winning their first series in England since 1986. India batted first and their batsmen went onto pile up runs as Dinesh Karthik (91), Sachin Tendulkar (82), Rahul Dravid (55), MS Dhoni (92), and VVS Laxman (51) made merry.
However, the most exciting innings came from the veteran spinner Kumble, who first supported MS Dhoni and then went on to work on his first century in Tests. He got tremendous support from the tail, with Zaheer playing 75 balls for his 11, but it was S Sreesanth, who gave him the most support by taking on the England bowlers as well and scoring 35 in 49 balls.
Kumble accumulated runs at the other end and finally completed his 1st and only Test century in 180 balls with 15 fours and one six. The shot to reach the century was one of the most awkward ones, as he stepped out to Kevin Pietersen, got an inside edge which beat the keeper Matt Prior and went for four runs and he ecstatically celebrated his most prized achievement, along with 10-fer.
Watch Anil Kumble’s only century here:
