SPORTS

'Include Kumble for One-dayers'

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
July 03, 2006 19:18 IST

Former Test cricketer Chetan Chauhan feels that Anil Kumble should be brought back into the one-day side as he could play a crucial role in next year's World Cup to be held in West Indies.

Kumble picked up six wickets in the second innings of the fourth and final Test against West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica, helping India to win the match and wrap the four-match series 1-0.

Chauhan congratulated the Indian side for breaking the myth that the Indian cricketers could win only at home.

"I am happy that Rahul Dravid and his boys registered a good victory. What is more creditable is that this win has come under three days. They have broken the myth that we do not win abroad.

"Dravid and Kumble's partnership of over 90 runs in the first innings laid the foundation for this win," he said.

He gave full credit to Dravid for leading the team from the front with a knock of 81 in the first innings and 68 in the second. "It is a great win, a great achievement," he said.

He blamed the West Indian team management for giving instructions to the groundsmen to prepare a green-top with the hope that it would favour their fast bowlers.

"I would say that the groundsmen not only under-prepared the wickets but they also left it under-rolled. This not only helped the West Indian bowlers to restrict the Indian team to 200 in the first innings, but also gave Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble a chance to strike back.

Harbhajan got five wickets each in an innings in two consecutive matches and Kumble was rewarded with six wickets in the second innings.

"I feel that Kumble has still two more years to go and he should be included in the Indian squad for the World Cup as he could contribute to Indian victories in crucial matches," he said.

 

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

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