Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer known for his candid remarks, recently stirred the cricketing world by declaring Anil Kumble as India’s greatest-ever captain. This surprising statement came during a rapid-fire round on the “Bada Bharat Show” with Vivek Bindra on his YouTube channel.

Gambhir was confronted with the difficult task of choosing the best Indian cricket captain among legends like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, and Kapil Dev. However, to the astonishment of many, he overlooked these iconic figures and instead lauded the legendary wrist spinner Anil Kumble.

Notably, Kumble assumed the role of India’s Test captain in 2007, leading the team in 14 Test matches. While his captaincy tenure may not be remembered for numerous victories, Gambhir’s choice was a testament to Kumble’s leadership qualities and cricketing acumen.

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During his captaincy stint, Kumble was at the helm during the infamous Australian tour of 2007-08. His fearless leadership was evident when he openly criticized Australia for not playing in the spirit of the game during the controversial Sydney Test. Despite the challenges, Kumble remains a respected figure in Indian cricket.

Anil Kumble concluded his cricketing career as the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, with a remarkable tally of 619 wickets from 132 matches at an average of 29.65. His impressive records extend to international cricket, where he ranks fourth on the list of most wickets, boasting 956 scalps from 403 matches.

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It’s worth noting that in 2021, James Anderson, the English seamer, surpassed Kumble’s tally to become the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Despite this, Kumble’s contributions to Indian cricket and his role as a captain continue to be held in high regard by many cricket enthusiasts and experts.