Harbhajan Singh calls Anil Kumble as ‘greatest match-winner India has ever produced’

India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh recently named former leg-spinner Anil Kumble as the ‘greatest match-winner India has ever produced,’ while highlighting the importance of bowlers in the team.

The spin duo of Anil Kumble (L) and Harbhajan Singh forged a memorable bowling partnership during the 2000s. AFP

Heaping praise on Kumble, Harbhajan told Sportstar that the legendary leg-spinner proved that a batsman can be dismissed regardless of the spin of the ball.

“In my view, Anil bhai was the greatest ever who played for India. He’s probably the greatest match-winner India has ever produced. People used to say he didn’t spin the ball, but he showed that if you had the heart, you could get batsmen out regardless of whether the ball spun or not,” said Harbhajan.

The off-spinner added that Kumble was an unbelievably committed player and he was lucky to have played with him for so many years.

Bhajji asserted, “If anyone has half the competitiveness Anil bhai had, he would become a champion.”

Singh shot to fame during the 2001 Test series against Australia where he replaced the injured Kumble, who captained India’s Test side in 2007 and 2008 and was the head coach of the team from 2016 to 2017.

Kumble picked 619 wickets in 132 Tests and 337 in 271 One-Day Internationals. The leg-spinner created buzz after he dismissed all ten batsmen in an innings against Pakistan in the 1999 Test at Feroz Shah Kotla.

The veteran leg spinner is the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, behind Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 800 wickets to his name, and Shane Warne who has picked up 708 wickets.