India have a chance to repeat 2008 show when present coach's team beat the Aussies in Western Australia after enduring a controversial 'Monkeygate' Test in Sydney
Team India skipper Virat Kohli plays football during a practice session in Ranchi yesterday. Pics/PTI
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When Anil Kumble captained India to that memorable 72-run win over Australia in the third Test at Perth in the 2007-08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series to become the first team from Asia to win a Test at the Western Australia Cricket Association ground, it put India back in contention in the four-match series.
"The Perth Test victory (in 2008) probably changed the way Indian cricket looked at that point in terms of playing overseas. After that, anything was possible; Perth was always considered a tough wicket to play on, especially for team which came from the subcontinent. To beat Australia in Perth was never heard of," Kumble, presently Team India's chief coach, said then. The Perth Test was the next battle after the controversial 'Monkeygate' Test in Sydney.
Anil Kumble during a media briefing in Ranchi yesterday
Kumble now has the chance to guide Virat Kohli's team to prevent Australia from winning the series through an India win in the third Test here starting Thursday. India did well to level the series in Bangalore after the Pune fiasco where the hosts lost by 333 runs inside three days. For starters here, Kumble wants to leave the controversy of the Bangalore Test behind and focus on the upcoming match which will be played at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) Stadium.
In Bangalore, the 'cheatgate' episode hogged the headlines so much that it took some gloss away from one of the most fascinating Test matches played in recent times. But Kumble thought that the Indian and Australian cricket boards took a very mature call to bring the focus back to the game.
"What was important was to bring the focus back to cricket and I am really glad that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took a mature call along with Cricket Australia (CA) to issue a joint statement which said that cricket needs to move on. So we have moved on from whatever happened in Bangalore." Kumble said.
"That's really important because the focus obviously has to be on the game. I think we made a fantastic comeback in the second Test after losing the first Test in Pune. Even in Bangalore, Australia were ahead on Day Two and Three and to come back from there and win a Test match was rewarding," added the India coach.
After India lost in Pune there were some talk about player fatigue as the hosts played 10 Test matches before the Bangalore match without much of a break. But Kumble brushed aside all those concerns and stated that the team was in a good state of mind. "No doubt, it's been a long season. It is not easy playing 17 Test matches on the trot. Especially for the bowling unit. Same with the batsmen. But, touch wood, we've had very few injuries and I think the players have responded really well," he said.
One of the injury concerns for India ahead of the Ranchi Test is the fitness of batsman Murali Vijay. When asked about the opener's fitness, Kumble said, "He's fine, he is a part of the squad and is available for selection." But yesterday, Vijay only took throw downs while the other opener Abhinav Mukund had a hit with the other batsmen in the nets initially. But as the day progressed, Vijay finally batted against the regular bowlers and then went for a fitness test, doing few laps around the ground along with a series of back and shoulder exercises.
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