The Hindu : Sport : This will probably rate as one of our best wins, says Kumble

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This will probably rate as one of our best wins, says Kumble

Special Correspondent

— PHOTO: AFP

A MEMORABLE WIN: Anil Kumble said winning a Test on what is probably regarded as the home turf for Australia was very special.

Perth: Indian captain Anil Kumble, a veteran of 18 years, rated the 72-run win in the third Test here at the WACA as the best he has been involved in.

“This is right at the top, not just overseas wins but if you look at whatever victories there have been — this will probably rate as one of the best,” said Kumble. “On what is probably regarded as the home turf for Australia we have been able to beat them — so it is very special.”

How did India manage to turn things around after the emotionally fraught Sydney Test? “The most important thing after what had happened in Sydney was to play good cricket,” said Kumble. “We wanted to show that the Indian cricket team is a good Test unit. Even in Sydney, we put in a good effort but didn’t get the result that we wanted. I have always had confidence in the team, and the bonding within the team is very special.

“Going to Canberra (for the tour game) was a good thing for us, away from everybody. We sat down there and discussed how we were going to go forward, that is when we had decided to concentrate on cricket and leave the rest of the matters to whoever needed to handle them. It was important to focus our game…and I am really delighted the team got together.”

No talk of revenge

Asked if India had sought revenge, Kumble replied, “I don’t think there was any kind of revenge. But it was important we come back into the series. We came here looking to win the series, but now we can only level it. The win here is an important step.”

On the India-Australia rivalry becoming the marquee series in world cricket, the Indian captain said, “In terms of India-Pakistan it is very difficult to take away that equation totally. But the kind of cricket we have played in these last three Test matches goes to show it goes down to the wire. In Sydney down to the last five minutes and the result here — it was a brilliant game of cricket. I am really happy we have been able to compete consistently.”

Kumble called the win “a satisfying team-effort”. He, however, gestured to Irfan Pathan, sitting beside him at the press conference, and said the left-hander had had a “fantastic game”.

‘Pretty happy’

Pathan, who was named the Man of the Match for a match-haul of five wickets and handy contributions with the bat, said: “I am pretty happy bowling with the new ball, and to get it in Test cricket is really special. I want to get early breakthroughs for the team and it happened here. I was also very happy with the way I batted.”

He also spoke of his time in the wilderness and dealing with failure. “When you don’t do well, things become difficult. There is a lot of negative talk around you, and you yourself become negative,” said Pathan.

“To come out of it, that’s where your character lies. I worked very hard on my action and my game when I was out of the team. I have worked really hard, and that hard work is paying off.”

Pathan sought to clarify that he wasn’t a “fast bowler”: “I am just a medium-pacer whose job is to bowl in the right areas. Forget about pace and swing. To me, it is important to do the job that the captain and the team require of me. If you think too much about pace and those kind of things, you will unnecessarily put pressure on yourself.

The idea is to stay relaxed and get the job done.”

Pathan also acknowledged the role played by bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad.

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