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Cricketers often suffer with serious injuries while playing. Many of them generally leave the field after suffering an injury in the course of the match. However, there have been some remarkable incidents of players pushing the pain barrier in order to deny the opposition an upper hand in the match. Some cricketers have put their teams first instead of themselves and risked fatal injuries just to take their team to a strong position.
Former India spinner Anil Kumble once defied all odds despite his serious injuries to play the match and take his team to a position of strength.
The legendary spinner is not only famous for his skillful bowling but also for his grit and determination on the field. Anyone who has followed the sport over the last two decades could never forget the iconic image of Kumble bowling with his face swathed in bandages.
In the fourth Test match of the series against West Indies at Antigua in 2002, Kumble was promoted up the order during the Indian batting innings. However, the move did not go down well with the Caribbean pacers. Kumble was greeted with a fierce bouncer by Mervyn Dillon, which rattled his jaw. Kumble was shaken and spat blood. However, he was determined to carry on.
Subsequently, it was revealed that he had suffered a broken jaw and will not play any further part in the match. However, with some visible turn on offer on the pitch and India lacking a front-line spinner apart from him, Kumble took to the field. Moreover, he shocked all and sundry by bowling 14 consecutive overs. Even, he managed the prized scalp of Brian Lara even though wreathing in pain.
Watching, Kumble’s unbelievable defiance, Viv Richards said, “It was one of the bravest things I have ever seen on the field of play.”
