Anil Kumble reveals his wife thought it was a joke when he said "Will bowl with a broken jaw"

Former India spinner Anil Kumble bowled 14 overs with broken jaw in the 2002 Antigua test.

Anil Kumble has a painful but special memory associated with India vs West Indies encounter in his career. In India’s tour of the West Indies in 2002 at Antigua, Anil Kumble was in severe pain when he had his jaw broken on one of Marvyn Dillon’s brutal bouncers while batting. Later on, with an undaunted spirit came into the field and bowled around 14 overs. Kumble with a broken Jaw challenged West Indian legend Brian Lara and didn’t let him settle in the wicket. Kumble with his broken jaw and determination sent Lara back on just 4 runs. Kumble now revealed that his wife didn’t believe him and thought Kumble was joking about the incident. 

Former Indian test captain Anil Kumble said, “I told my wife (Chetana) and I called her up. When we spoke, I said look I know I have to come home because I just need surgery. So, she arranged for all of that in Bangalore. And as I dropped off the call, I just told her that look I will go and bowl, but she thought probably I was just joking. I don’t think she even took it seriously. What’s he saying?”

That test became special as all 11 members of the team India bowled in the innings. Even wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra bowled one over. The test match lasted for 444 overs with both teams playing just one innings. 

Talking about his decision of bowling Anil Kumble said, “When I went back to the dressing room, I saw Sachin bowling because he was the only guy in the team who could bowl. When Wavell Hinds was playing, I thought that it was my chance. I have to go and get a couple of wickets. If we can get West Indies three or four down, at the end of day two or three then maybe we have a chance to win the game. That was the only thought. So I told Andrew Leipus to get me out there. At Least I can go home with the thought that I tried my best”.  Anil Kumble is revered as one of the legends to grace the game in the world. Kumble ended his career as India’s leading wicket-taker in test cricket with 619 wickets.