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When Anil Kumble Became The First Indian Cricketer To Achieve 'This' Unthinkable Feat

image-lsbe49o9Anil Kumble took 10 for 74 [X.com]

Pakistan's historic 1999 tour of India for a two-match Test series is renowned for two epic battles in Chennai and Delhi before the two teams faced each other again in Kolkata for the opening game of the Asian Test Championship. 

After a tremendous battle for supremacy in Chennai which ended with a heartbreak for the Indians despite Sachin Tendulkar's magnum opus century, the tables were turned remarkably in Delhi when the great leg-spinner Anil Kumble produced a record 10 wickets in an innings in the Pakistan run-chase and secured a 1-1 draw for the series.

As Pakistan went into lunch on Day 4 after reaching 101 without a breakthrough for the Indians, there were scares in the opposition change room. However, Kumble yielded his magic and put the trauma of the first-Test defeat aside by becoming only the second man and first Asian in the history of Test cricket to take a perfect 10 for the innings. 

When Anil Kumble Bagged 10-Fer Against Pakistan 

Having taken 4/75 in the first half to help India take a priceless lead of 80 runs despite posting a modest 252, Kumble returned with more venom and spite generated off his skiddy leg-spinners which accounted for the entire Pakistan batting unit on a memorable afternoon at the Feroz Shah Kotla.


In a tremendous burst at his end, Kumble dismissed well-set opening batters Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi to shift the pressure massively on the rest of the Pakistan side. No.3 Ijaz Ahmed and young Mohammad Yusuf were out for a duck and even a great player like Inzamam Ul Haq couldn't overcome the incisive Jumbo at his very best. 

Of the rest, only captain Wasim Akram showcased some resolve and defence against Kumble for his 37 but even he was dismissed by the great bowler at the end as one of India's finest ever cricketers celebrated a humongous feat after winning the game for his team. 

Kumble joined England's Jim Lacker to become the second man with 10 wickets in an innings in Test cricket. He remains the only Indian in an esteemed club which has since been joined in by just one other cricketer - New Zealand's left-arm spinner Ajaz Ahmed, who took all 10 wickets against India during the 2021 Test in Mumbai.