Anil Kumble’s Reaction:The quietness immediately after a batsman is dismissed may prove more deafening than any applause. However, a short, viral response on the commentary box may be more than enough to say the state of a national team.
This is what occurred in the second Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati. With India peering over the barrel of the historic home series whitewash, the top order pressure was on. The point that summed up this suffering was when KL Rahul, playing in the second innings, and facing the crucial moment, was bowled by a South African off-spinner, Simon Harmer, with a pathetic score of 6 runs.
The video of the legendary spinner Anil Kumble and his face, right after the dismissal, went viral. It was not the expression of anger or astonishment, but a slight but deep glance of disillusionment and resignation. In this brief one-minute speech, Kumble was almost speaking on behalf of the frustration of a nation that was witnessing its much-hyped batting line-up fail because of a perceived lack of application and patience and Kumble was the embodiment of these qualities in his playing days.
Kumble has had enough of him😭😭pic.twitter.com/o2wcrAUPZD https://t.co/059wYIKVWv
— Paglaiit ∆ 🎭 (@Backhand_Slice_) November 25, 2025
Anil Kumble Reaction Say’sThe Anatomy of the Failure
What his expression had already expressed, Kumble later did. He has allegedly condemned the approach used by Rahul and, in general, the approach taken by India in the batting system saying that there was lack of application and patience necessary in Test type of cricket.
The message was easy to decode: the Indian batsmen, whose mindset was a lot of aggressive limited overs, were not ready to survive through difficult spells and bat-session by session, particularly when they had a target that was beyond any means. The mental lapse under intense pressure was exemplified through the dismissal of Rahul as he bowled and tried a shot that had incorrect judgement in the spin and bounce of a ball thrown by Harmer.
Test cricket is one of the games where the real worth of a batsman can be gained not by his/her maximum score, but by his/her stability and ability to stay calm during the pressure. In the case of KL Rahul, a highly talented batsman with huge expectations on his shoulders when it comes to the Indian middle order, this recent failure is the addition to an uneven history in recent years.
The Weight of Inconsistency: KL Rahul’s Last 10 Test Innings
This is a refinements, innings-by-innings analysis of the past 10 Test match innings of KL Rahul, who is mostly under discussion about his recent streak of performance that can be deemed regular.
| Innings No. | Score | Opposition | Match and Innings Context |
| 1 (Most Recent) | 6 | South Africa | Guwahati Test, 2nd Innings (Dismissed by Harmer) |
| 2 | 22 | South Africa | Guwahati Test, 1st Innings (Failed to convert a start) |
| 3 | 1 | South Africa | Kolkata Test, 2nd Innings |
| 4 | 39 | South Africa | Kolkata Test, 1st Innings |
| 5 | 58 | West Indies | 2nd Test, 2nd Innings (Crucial half-century) |
| 6 | 38 | West Indies | 2nd Test, 1st Innings |
| 7 | 100 | West Indies | 1st Test, 1st Innings (Century) |
| 8 | 7 | England | 5th Test, 2nd Innings |
| 9 | 14 | England | 5th Test, 1st Innings |
| 10 (Past) | 90 | England | 4th Test, 2nd Innings (Missed out on a century) |
Analysis of the Last 10 Innings
- Total Runs Scored: 375 Runs
- Highest Score: 100 (vs. West Indies)
- Centuries: 1
- Half-Centuries (50+): 2 (100, 90, 58)
- Scores under 20: 4 (6, 22, 1, 7, 14)
This series displays his typical instability: one hundred and fifty (100) and two powerful fighting knocks during the 90s and the 50s, and four times he failed to score twenty runs, with three of his last four scores being in the single digits. This discrepancy is what usually stokes the controversy on his inclusion in the Test team and particularly when the pressure mounts.
The response by Anil Kumble was not simply against a technical fault in one match, however, but was a re-creation of the repeated story of Indian batting in adverse circumstances, which is the inability to match a talent with the perseverance and discipline that is needed to secure hard-earned Test wins. It was the face of a legend that recognized the continued distance between the possibilities and the results of an important player in the spotlight of the most intense scrutiny in Indian cricket.