Lose even to Kenya but not to Pakistan: Anil Kumble on pressure of India vs Pakistan matches

Former India leg-spinner Anil Kumble believes it is critical to treat a cricket match against archrival Pakistan as if it were just another game, or else the pressure will get to the players. The former Indian captain added that when he was playing, the hype was such that fans would have been fine even if they lost to Kenya, but not to Pakistan.

India will renew their rivalry with arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in a match for the Asia Cup 2023. India and Pakistan last met at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where a Virat Kohli special helped the Men in Blue beat the Babar Azam-led side by four wickets off the last ball in a nail-biter.

“In our times, the word was ‘lose even to Kenya but not to Pakistan’. There was pressure and expectation on the players. That’s how the matches between India and Pakistan are being played and the key is to treat it as just another match,” Kumble said here while speaking during the launch of Pitchside, the memoir written by veteran cricket administrator Amrit Mathur.

Former India batter and current NCA chief VVS Laxman, as well as former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani, attended the function. Kumble still remembers his 10-wicket haul against Pakistan fondly.

Kumble discussed the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry at the Bengaluru launch of Amrit Mathur’s book Pitchside on Tuesday, August 8.

“I did not go onto the field thinking of a 10-wicket haul, though that is the dream of any bowler. However, in the next Test match against Pakistan, the Asian Test Championship at Kolkata, I was struggling to take even one wicket. That is the game of cricket for you,” he said.

“Pakistan was ready to give any amount of security to us. There were police vehicles in front and behind our team bus, a helicopter above the team bus, Rapid Action Force in all major road points and snipers on top of buildings en route to the stadium, especially in Karachi. At one point, even players were feeling why we need so much security, but overall the tour went off well,” said Mathur.