'Ab toh sharam karle Rohit Sharma' - Fans react as Anil Kumble recalls his heroic spell with fractured jaw against West Indies in 2002

Anil Kumble (Source: Twitter)

It was the fourth Test of the series in St. John’s between India and West Indies in 2002. The series was levelled 1-1 at that point. The Test got one of the flattest Test wickets of all time. West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl first. India was 235/5 when Anil Kumble came to bat. Mervyn Dillon bowled a short delivery, which hit and broke the jaw of the batter.

The Bangalore-born great cricketer was in great pain and bled for a lot of time. Despite it, Kumble batted for another 20 minutes till he got out. As India posted 513/9 in 196 overs, the Indian captain declared the innings. Kumble then did the most unimaginable act. With a broken jaw, the leg spinner bowled 14 overs and dismissed Brian Lara.

'My wife did not take me seriously' - Anil Kumble

Speaking about the incident with Jio Cinema, Kumble recalled the day and said his wife did not take him seriously. "I told my wife; Chetana and I called her up after my jaw got broken. When we spoke, I said, 'I know I just need surgery'. So, she arranged for all of that in Bangalore. As I dropped off the call, I just told her that look I'll go and bowl, but she thought I was joking and did not take me seriously," said the former Indian cricketer.

"So, when I went back to the dressing room, I saw Sachin bowling because he was the only guy in the team who could bowl and then Wavell Hinds, I think was playing I don't remember somebody else was batting," Kumble said.

"And I thought it was my chance. I must go and get a couple of wickets. If we can get West Indies three or four down, end of day two or three. I think if you can get them out, then maybe we have a chance to win the game. That was the only thought. So, I told Andrew Leipus get me out there." Added the former Indian captain.

Here's how the fans reacted to the brave act from Anil Kumble: 

Overacting 🤣🤣😂😂😂😂

— The King (@TheKing56998085) July 12, 2023

GOAT 🐐

— ` (@Agastya_45) July 12, 2023

Ab toh sharm karle Rohit Sharma

— ACID (@ACID_CHEL) July 12, 2023

& today's players after normal shoulder pan . Skip the match pic.twitter.com/VkxhMGk9mc

— FIRE⁴⁵ (@firefire0045) July 12, 2023

Legend 🙌

— itz Sumitz (@itzsumitsaxena) July 12, 2023

Where is kl and bumrah, 🙄

— goswami prashant Giri📈 (@goswamiprash) July 12, 2023

Man, @anilkumble1074 destroyed that Jahagirdar's marital life

— Neha Naik (@NehaNaik2718) July 12, 2023

Shreyas Iyer should have came to bat in that Australia test in which kohli score something around 180🙄

— Sk Garg (@Sk_8995) July 12, 2023

Abh toh sharam karle “Bumrah”.

— Sunny 😎 (@being_sunny1) July 12, 2023

Kumble was much fitter with broken jaw compared to so many players in present squad.

— Chirag Barjatya (@chiragbarjatyaa) July 12, 2023