Former Indian captain Anil Kumble on Tuesday pulled out of this weekend’s Indian Premier League auction, citing his involvement in cricket administration and other commitments.
Kumble, who captained Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in two IPL seasons, in 2009 and 2010, said he was withdrawing from the January 9-10 auction because of business commitments, his association with cricket administration and wildlife in various capacities.
“I wish to withdraw from the players auction for IPL IV scheduled for the 8th and 9th of January 2011 in Bangalore,” said the legendary leg-spinner in an IPL release.
“I have enjoyed my stint at the IPL so far and thank all concerned for the support extended,” said Kumble, who was elected as Karnataka State Cricket Association president in November last year.
Kumble was not retained by RCB for this season and was among those players put up for auction with a reserved price of $4,00,000.
The former Indian skipper was largely responsible for RCB’s turnaround in the IPL. After being named captain for the 2009 season, Kumble led his team to the final of the Twenty20 league.
A year later, the leg-spinner inspired his team to a third-place finish. Consequently, the team qualified for the Champions League T20 tournament twice under his leadership.
Kumble also took 45 wickets in the three editions of the IPL to prove his worth even in the shortest version of the game.