One could not help get that feeling watching India's cricketing gods play at Bangalore. It was India's good fortune that made them contemporaries; in greater measure is India's bad luck as the time comes to bid them a good bye – it might be closer than one suspectedas little as eight months ago.
Anil Kumble, the man who became captain because no one else wanted to – and those willing were deemed unsuitable – grew on the job like few others. Surprisingly, though the toughness of the man is a byword in Indian cricket, no one thought of handing him the reins earlier. He brought to captaincy the celebrated aggression that had people callinghim a spinner with a fast bowler's mind. That blended with his native intelligence, diplomacy and ability as bowler – remember, he's won India more matches than any other bowler, ever – and made people wonder if India had missed out on a great captain.
The speculation now is of much different nature – is it the beginning of the end for the man who's been in charge of India's spin for the last 18 years? Seeing Kumble bowl in this Test, on yet another strange Bangalore track, it would appear so.
In the first innings, Kumble was wicketless in 43 overs; when India bowled the second time, the captain didn't take the field because of a sore shoulder. When he bowled, he was completely unable to breach the defence of Shane Watson or Brad Haddin. The wicket is marked by a hundred cracks, but it's not yet crumbled. The ball has been keeping low, but there's been no real turn or bounce. The odd ball has sprung up, but not quickly enough.
Thus, the spinners have largely suffered, but one suspects that the Kumble of old would have found success even here. The shooter that pinned the batsmen on the back foot has been absent; lack of turn has made the googly ineffective. To his credit, despite pain in the shoulder, Kumble has been manfully bowling on – but without ever looking dangerous.
Kumble the leader has had a great year – the acme was victory at Perth, and to a lesser degree his swift occupation of the moral high ground at Sydney and his utterings thereon; but as bowler, it's been a bit trying. He took seven wickets in Melbourne (December 2007) and eight in the Sydney game, which ended on January 6. Then on, Kumble's returns have diminished, though his intent and effort have been as great as at any time in his remarkable career. In eight Tests after Sydney, Kumble has taken 17 wickets at an average of over 61.
Not pretty figures, especially since there's no obvious replacement – he's irreplaceable, and there's none around who could be termed a successor. The cupboard is bare. As coaches and past greats have been warning us, spin bowling could actually be succumbing to the surfeit of the short game – first One-dayers, and now Twenty20.
Seeing Kumble – the man who's remained an enigma to the world's best for the better part of the last 18 years – bowl with no effect has been sad. When he was asked before the start of the Test match whether it could be his last series, the captain reacted testily. The answer, he said, remains with him, for "he's not the one to announce this before the start of a series."
Whenever it comes, and if the answer is in the affirmative, it'll be a sad day for spin bowling and cricket. There'll be never one like him again. There's no replacing this mighty oak.
