Kumble sees more champions coming out from Odisha in next few years

Bhubaneswar: Lauding Odisha government for its measures taken to encourage sports and sportspersons, former Indian cricket Captain and Coach Anil Kumble has said he is hopeful of more champions coming out of the State in next few years.

Speaking on the sidelines of Odisha Knowledge Hub lecture series programme at Lok Seva Bhavan here, Kumble said 2020 will be the success year for sports. He today delivered a speech on ‘Indian Sport – An Insider’s Perspective’ during the programme which was attended Secretaries and several other senior government officials.

“Initiatives are being taken by the Chief Minister and we have seen many international events like World Cup Hockey are happening here. It’s wonderful to see Odisha is taking the lead,” said Kumble, adding that in the coming years many players in different fields will emerge from the State and showcase their talents.

To become a sporting nation, there is a need to strengthen sports infrastructure at grassroots level. “There is a need for the country to focus on Olympics,” said Kumble.

Replying to a query on his memorable moments, Kumble said, “Winning the Test series against England and Pakistan is my memorable moment. Being part of the Indian team for 18 years is obviously the biggest moment of my life.”

In another query, he replied, “I cannot tell when MS Dhoni will retire. He can only answer to the question.” This apart he praised the performance of Team India Captain Virat Kohli and Vice Captain Rohit Sharma.