Anil Kumble puts onus on batsmen ahead of 1st Test against South Africa; Rahul Dravid eyes 10,000-run club entry
India take on a resurgent South Africa in Chennai on Wednesday as skipper Anil Kumble seeks a first slot in Test rankings and key batsman Rahul Dravid chases the 80 rund he needs to make it to the 10,000-run club.
Rahul Dravid will become the only third Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar to enter the elite-10,000-run club — And only the sixth in the world– if he takes 80 runs.
Anil Kumble, 37, has all ready set the ball on batsmen’s court saying India always took advantage of big scores on home soil. For that, his Karnataka and Bangalore Royal Challengers mate Rahul Dravid along with Sachin Tendulkar will be the key.
In the bowling department, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth will give him company. And Sachin Tendulkar can bowl a few overs too. Sourav Ganguly is another option for a few overs.
And its only incidental that a South African is taking over the Indian team’s coahing duty when the team takes on South Africa itself.
Gary Kirsten will have to pitch in with all his experience to take on a new-llok South African side, with fresh pacer Dale Steyn looking to trouble the Indians.
Dale Steyn and Mark Boucher also will play alongside Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble for Bangalore Challengers in the DLF IPL Twenty20.