By IANS
Sydney : A normally calm and composed India captain Anil Kumble could not hide his disappointment at the erring umpires here Sunday, and said expects the Australian cricket team to play the game honestly and sincerely.
“I have played my cricket honestly and sincerely, and that is the approach of my team as well. I expect that from the Australians also,” Kumble said in the post-match press conference.
Kumble was told that the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, had said he had no doubt about this match being played in the right spirit.
Asked to react to that, Kumble said, “Only one team played in the spirit of the game.” That immediately drew a huge applause.
Later Indian team’s manager Chetan Chauhan said, “Since Anil Kumble is the captain and also a player in the team, he cannot comment on certain matters. But I have been informed that the Board (Board of Control for Cricket in India – BCCI) is lodging a strong protest against some of the umpiring decisions.”
Kumble declined to comment on the umpires, but said: “What had happened on the field had not gone unnoticed.”
“There were too many things happening on the field which everybody witnessed. Even today, there were a couple of things that didn’t go our way,” a visibly hurt and anguished Kumble said after the SCG Test, which India lost by 122 runs to become India 0-2 down in the four-Test series.
“We have put up a brave fight. We got the lead after giving Australia 460 runs in the first innings. And when I look back, I am really proud of the way my teammates played. Yes, we didn’t get the right result but if we keep on playing like this, we will get the result very soon,” Kumble added.
Kumble himself led the team in an exemplary fashion, bowling superbly for four wickets each in either innings and then batted for a fighting, unbeaten 45.
“It is a sport and you should try and take it sportingly. (But) It is difficult and it hurts when you lose like this. The series would have been opened after this match but unfortunately it didn’t happen and in that sense it really hurts,” said Kumble.
“The entire team lost a little bit of focus (because of those decisions). You represent your country in the sport you love, but at the end of the day if such things happen on the field, it is really difficult to control your emotions,” he said.
“However, in spite of those things, the boys fought hard in all the five days, but eventually we couldn’t save the match.”
The Indian captain also hinted at some big changes in the squad for the third Test at Perth that begins on Jan. 16.
“From here we go to Canberra for a three-day game. Five of the players haven’t played in Australia and they will get a look in,” Kumble said.
Before the third Test match, India will play a three-day game against ACT Invitational XI in Canberra from Wednesday.