By IANS
Dubai : India’s Test captain Anil Kumble believes the aggressive cricket that Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s young outfit have displayed while beating Australia in their own backyard is not a new trend and has been part of the team for the last few years.
Kumble said the new players are aggressive on the field but that is how India has played in the last five years.
“This (aggressive) approach is not new to Indian team. It is wrong to say that nearly three or even eight years back we were not aggressive,” Kumble was quoted as saying by The Gulf News.
“The youngsters are highly skilful and they have done well. Our team has also travelled well in the last four to five years. We have now shown the confidence and skill and executed it perfectly in Australia, especially in the one-day squad,” said Kumble, who was here on a promotional event.
Kumble, who experienced a torrid summer Down Under and raised questions about Australia’s gamesmanship after the Sydney Test fiasco, feels that on-field performance should be the best way to counter sledging.
“I believe cricket can do the talking. It is the best way to counter sledging,” he said.
The veteran leg-spinner said that sledging is not a new phenomenon in sports and any issue that boils up inside the field should be left behind there instead of dragging it outside.
“Word duels have always been there. It is nothing new to cricket or to any sport. I firmly believe that whatever happens on the field should remain on the field.”
Kumble attributes his calm and poised approach towards the game to his upbringing. “My calm approach is probably because of the way I have been brought up. Moreover, I have been playing international cricket for the last 17 years.”
Kumble was also of the view that with money coming into the game, cricket will become a career option for many youngsters.
“If you compare the money in cricket to the money available in soccer or rugby or any other professional sport in America, this is nothing. Money in sport is good and I don’t think it will affect the youngsters.
“Of course, when you compare cricket with other sports in India, then it (money) is big. Now cricket can be chosen as a career option and this will bring professionalism into the game,” he said.