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We have a chance to win: Kumble
Leg-spinner Anil Kumble today said India could pull off of a series-winning victory in the fourth cricket Test against Australia.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:05 AM IST
Read Time:3 min
Sydney:
Leg-spinner Anil Kumble today said India could pull off of a series-winning victory in the fourth cricket Test against Australia if the bowlers exploited the conditions and "bowled with discipline" on the remaining two days. "I think we have a great chance to win the Test. If we bowl with discipline, the result would take care of itself," said the ace spinner who claimed four of the top-order Aussie batsmen on the third day of the match here. "The wicket would only get harder on the final two days and it would keep low," said Kumble. Silencing critics The veteran leggie felt his performance in the series was just the kind of "lift" he needed in the autumn of his career. "Everyone needs some kind of lift in some stage of his career. I am happy that it has come at this stage in my career. "A lot of people had said a lot of things. I don't think I need to mention those names -- everybody knows them." Kumble could have been taking a potshot at national selectors who needed two meetings and several hours to prefer him ahead of youngster Murali Kartik for the tour. Advice for Kartik But Kumble was gracious to the young left-arm spinner who suffered a contrasting day and was hammered for 103 runs in 16 overs. "When you have attacking fields and you are bowling to good batsmen on good wickets, it is difficult. They just went after him. I am sure he would come back for he is a fantastic bowler." "I just told him to take it easy. He was getting back into his rhythm. There are a still lot of overs to be bowled and we need to take lot of wickets and I am sure he would be required," said Kumble while revealing that he had finally learnt to become more effective on overseas tracks. "I have realised what I have to do get wickets here. I am using a lot of wrong-uns and googlies as I know they are very very useful on such kind of tracks. "It took me 13 long years to get used to such conditions," said the 33-year-old whose overseas bowling record of 139 wickets from 40 matches as against 235 from 41 matches at home have not done any good to his reputation as a match-winner. Key dismissals Kumble also spoke about his two important dismissals those of Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn who have been key to Australian batting in the middle order. "Ponting's was a very important wicket. We had some plans against him and it worked. It was important to get him early on a wicket like this for he is in such a good form. As for Martyn, it was a slow googly and he played early." Kumble said the run-balance in favour of his team helped him attack the Australian batsmen more than usual. "If you have a score of 700 plus to play with, you have more options and variations to bowl. Even though they had a good start we knew it was only a matter of wicket when things would change. That is exactly what happened." Kumble praised retiring Australian captain Steve Waugh and said he deserved all the respect and reception. "He deserves the reception he is getting. He is a great player and served the game wonderfully." (PTI)Topics mentioned in this article
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