Here's Why New India Coach Anil Kumble Is 'Jumbo' Of Cricket World

Legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble has been appointed as the new coach of Indian cricket team. The former Indian skipper stands tall in the pantheon of all time greats -- be it Indian or world cricket -- literally and figuratively. After all, his height is 6 feet 2 and nickname is 'Jumbo'.

.@anilkumble1074: The committee acknowledged the importance of efforts being made to promote and grow Test cricket pic.twitter.com/Y2CkoN4EKS

- ICC Media (@ICCMediaComms) June 3, 2016

Here are some interesting stats and records from Kumble's cricket journey that show why he is a 'Jumbo' in the world of cricket:

He is the only Indian bowler after Kapil Dev to have captured 400 Test wickets.

He once bowled 72 overs in a Test innings. Whew!

Kumble has held the maximum number of caught and bowled dismissals in Tests.

He once held the record for being the fastest ever Indian to reach 50 wickets in Tests, after achieving it in 10 matches. His 50th victim was Zimbabwean David Houghton. The record was later broken by R Ashwin, who got there in 9 Tests.

Yesterday's @HomeOfCricket visit made me all nostalgic. Last time we played there together. #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/hYtoExyl5f

- Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) June 2, 2016

In the final of 1993 Hero Cup (a C.A.B. Jubilee Tournament), Kumble bagged 6 wickets for just 12 runs. This was the best figures by an Indian in ODIs for more than two decades, till Stuart Binny bettered it with figures of 6-4 vs Bangaldesh.

In the 1995 English county season, Kumble while playing for Northamptonshire took 105 wickets at an average of just 20.40. He was the highest wicket taker of the season, and was named as one of the 5 Wisden cricketers of 1996 for his great showing.

In 1996, Kumble took 61 wickets in ODIs -- the highest number of wickets taken by an Indian bowler in ODIs in a year, The record hasn't been broken yet.

Kumble achieved the 300-wicket landmark in 2001 and 400 wickets in 2004.

His achievement of claiming 400 Test wickets in 85 matches made him the fourth fastest bowler to achieve it. He took 30 less Test matches than Indian legend Kapil Dev.

He overtook Kapil to become India's highest wicket-taker on December 10, 2004.

The celebratory cake always ends up on your face! This one was for the 500th Test Wicket. #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/JRBAtz7I43

- Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) June 9, 2016

In 2006, Kumble passed Courtney Walsh on 520 Test wickets to take 4th place in the list of highest wicket-takers.

He went past Glenn McGrath's record of 563 wickets in 2007, to become the 3rd highest wicket taker in Tests.

Kumble is one of the only two bowlers -- the other being Jim laker-- to have taken all ten wickets in a Test innings. Kumble achieved this feat -- 10 for 74 -- against arch rivals Pakistan at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla ground in February 1999.

Kumble scored his first Test hundred -- 110 not out -- in his 117th Test match. It was against England at the Oval.

He is India's highest wicket-taker in ODIs with 337 scalps from 271 matches.

Andrew Symonds' wicket at Perth in January 2008 saw Kumble become only the third bowler in cricket history to take 600 wickets in Tests.

Kumble's last scalp in Test cricket -- his 619th victim -- was Mitchell Johnson.

He has taken 111 wickets in Tests against Australia -- the most against the mighty Aussies by an Indian bowler.

He was honoured by the Indian government with the Arjuna Award in 1995 and Padma Shri in 2005.

He was inducted into the ICC Hall of fame in 2015.

Kumble began his cricketing journey as medium pacer, but switched to bowling leg spinners.

Anil Kumble was christened 'Jumbo' because of the way his deliveries took off with pace and bounce off the pitch --akin to a jumbo jet. Some say the nickname is due to his 'Jumbo' feet size.

Anil Kumble has become the first Indian to be appointed India's head coach since Kapil Dev (1999-2000).

The leggie who made his Test debut in August 9, 1990, in Manchester vs England and his final five-day international match was at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla ground in October-November 2008. Kumble made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in April 25, 1990.

Let respect be your most prized possession. #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/ALxmwcAizd

- Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) June 6, 2016

Interestingly, Kumble debut Test is more famous for being the one which saw Sachin Tendulkar score his first-ever century in Test cricket.

He once played with a broken jaw -- 2002 Antigua Test. He sent down 14 consecutive overs with his jaw in a bandage and even dismissed Brian Lara.

Kumble got his first man-of-the-match in an ODI in his third match. He eventually won 6 MoM awards in ODIs.

His first 5-wicket haul was 6 for 53 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1992. It was the fourth match in his career and he picked up 8 wickets in it.

Anil Kumble took 21 wickets in India's whitewash against England in 1992-93 and won the man-of-the-series award for his effort.

Kumble graduated in B.E from Rashtreeya Vidyalaya College of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering.

Kumble played his first domestic match for Karnataka at the age of 19 in 1989. The Ranji match was against Hyderabad.

Anil Kumble is an avid photographer and has released a book 'Wide Angle', which is a collection of off-field pictures taken by him during his playing days.