Kumble eyes comeback and 300 Test wickets

N. Ananthanarayanan

Leg-spinner Anil Kumble hopes to return from his long injury lay-off for India's tour of South Africa, starting in October, and has his sights on the 300 Test wickets landmark.

"I'll hopefully be back for the South African tour," Kumble said over telephone from Bangalore.

Kumble, 30, withdrew midway through a one-day tri-series in Sharjah last October and is recovering after undergoing shoulder surgery in Johannesburg in January.

The bowler played his first match in almost nine months early this month when he turned out for a local league side in Bangalore. He bowled 14 overs and took three for 49 to show early signs he had recovered well.

Kumble will put himself through a tougher test when he plays for his state side in a tournament starting on Saturday.

"It (shoulder) felt good," the softly-spoken spinner said of his first outing while sounding cautious. "It is still too early to say. It will take a little while. I have to continue bowling."

Kumble, who began bowling in the nets towards the end of May, said he had not bowled enough to say whether his shoulder was strong enough to stand the demands of international cricket.

The former Leicestershire and Northamptonshire spinner, who has 276 wickets from 61 Tests, said he now looked forward to achieving 300 Test wickets.

WORLD RECORD

"I am close to that. I need to play to get to that and I am looking forward to that."

Kumble, who captured all 10 Pakistan second innings wickets in a Test in Delhi in 1999 to equal the world record of England off-spinner Jim Laker, had earlier hoped he could return for a three-Test series in Sri Lanka next month.

But he gave up the idea to ensure his recovery was complete.

Kumble was confident he would be in the reckoning for South Africa, where India play a one-day triangular tournament and a three-Test series.

Kumble, India's second highest Test wicket-taker behind Kapil Dev's 434 victims, last played a Test in a two-match home series against South Africa in February last year.

Kumble, who has also taken 274 wickets in 208 one-day games, said he was not unduly worried he had lost almost a year because of the injury.

"I don't want to think of what was lost. I am looking forward. I want to see what I can gain," he said.

The wrist-spinner, regarded as one of the fittest players in the Indian side and with a reputation for having the stamina to bowl long and sharp spells of his fastish leg-breaks, said he still continued with special exercises to strengthen his bowling shoulder.

The tall bowler has often been a match-winner for India, especially at home.

His return is expected to bolster the Indian spin attack in which off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has emerged as an influential figure since capturing 32 wickets to help his side to an upset 2-1 home Test series victory over Australia earlier this year.

Mail Cricket Editor