At the MCC academy inside Lords, Anil Kumble is mistaken for Narendra Hirwani

It seems that nothing is going right for India’s head coach Anil Kumble at the moment. With rifts with the captain Virat Kohli, and then a humiliating loss to Sri Lanka, there seems no end to his miseries. And then there cropped us a new disappointment.

Inside the Lord’s cricket stadium, lies a howler which just cannot be missed by a fan of Indian cricket who happens to visit the iconic and historical venue.  The caption at Photo No. 21: a portrait of Narendra Hirwani says, “Anil Kumble. A quick leg-spinner. Note the grip for the leg break,” as pointed out by TOI. And to further add to the insult, one can find no other picture of Kumble there.

Adjacent to the viewing gallery above the indoor nets, is a fascinating photographic tribute to each Test team, highlighting the biggest moments and greatest players. It is a sight to behold, but for Kumble and fans of Indian cricket, the howler is a huge one. There are no pictures of India’s highest Test wicket-taker in the gallery, while Ravi Shastri and Maninder Singh find notable mentions.

The current coach of team India would be keen to know how this huge typing error escaped the perfectionists at Lords’ MCC Academy. However, at the main entrance of the academy, there is a giant-sized photographic portrait of Kumble. But for the man who picked up 10 wickets in the second innings against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Feroze Shah Kotla, the howler, up there for years now, is unacceptable.

India face South Africa tomorrow 

For now, Kumble will be busy with the team which faces a do-or-die situation when it locks horns with South Africa in a virtual quarter final tomorrow. If India are defeated, they lose their hopes of a spot in the semi-finals, and that can further add fuel to the fire when India’s new coach is selected.