Steve Waugh sings praises for Anil Kumble, had this to say

Former India captain Anil Kumble and his Australian captain Steve Waugh never gave each other an inch when battling each other on the pitch in their playing days. But there is mutual admiration among the two legends of the game as Steve Waugh highlighted once again. 

Waugh dubbed Kumble as the 'Rahul Dravid' of the Indian bowling line-up referring to the fact that the former India leg-spinner was a fierce competitor like Dravid. In a video posted by cricket.com.au, Steve Waugh explained why Anil Kumble was a special bowler. "He (Anil Kumble) was a fierce competitor. He was always at you and never gave you an inch. I can't remember him bowling poorly against us. He was a bit like Dravid of their bowling lineup. The captain knew what they were going to get from him. He was there all the time," Steve Waugh said.

'He never gave you an inch'

Steve Waugh looks back on the skill, passion and fierce competitive spirit of legendary India spinner Anil Kumble #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/FTH4SNIn6A — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 13, 2021

In 132 Tests, Kumble picked up 619 scalps at an average of 29.55 and 337 ODI wickets from 271 games as well in a career spanning 18 years. The 50-year-old had a phenomenal record against Australia in Test cricket as well, taking 111 wickets including 8 for 141 in the 2004 Sydney Test which was Steve Waugh's farewell game.

"I don't think I played anyone who enjoyed playing for the country as much as he (Anil Kumble) did. It was everything to him. We certainly didn't play him as a leg-spinner. We played him more like a slow in-swing bowler," Steve Waugh recalled.

"He had a great change of pace. It was all about variations, use of the crease. He sort of mixed it up a bit. Anything in the wicket like a bit of rough or unevenness, and he was more than a handful," Steve Waugh the former Australian captain added.

Kumble went on to captain the Indian team towards the twilight of his career and was the head coach of Team India as well. He is currently the head coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kings XI Punjab.