Bangalore, Apr 03: The man who masterminded India’s historic first Test victory on Pakistan soil with a match-haul of eight wickets, leg-spinner Anil Kumble, received the greatest gift of his life, albeit a day late after the win in Multan, when his wife Chethana gave birth to a baby boy at a City hospital on Friday morning. This is the couple’s first child and the bundle of joy weighed 4.2 kg.
The baby was delivered through caesarean section at Dr Kamini Rao’s Bangalore Assisted Conception Centre, according to hospital sources.

According to family sources, the mother and child are doing well. “It is great moment in life. I can’t really express my joy in words,” said an elated Kumble, who distributed sweets to staff at the nursing home. Among the first to call on the proud parents was Kumble’s former team-mate Javagal Srinath, who visited the hospital and spent time with them.

Kumble, who took two wickets in the first innings of the Multan Test and a match-winning six-wicket haul in the second to spearhead India to an innings victory, returned to Bangalore on Thursday to be by his wife during the momentous occasion.
The affable leg-spinner will rejoin his team-mates in Lahore on Saturday, two days before the start of the second Test against Pakistan.

He should surely have a spring in his stride when he bowls to the beleaguered Pakistani batsmen in the rest of the historic series.