Kumble hopes to come back for South African tour

India's ace leg spinner Anil Kumble, who is on the comeback trail, is to return to international cricket in October. The architect of many an Indian win has been out of action for more than nine months now. In January this year, he underwent a surgery on his right shoulder in South Africa for the injury he sustained in Sharjah last October.

Indian bowling will look a lot different with Kumble and Harbhajan Singh bowling from either end. CricInfo caught up with Kumble at the RSI Ground, Bangalore on Friday, when he was playing for Karnataka State Cricket Association XI against Andhra Cricket Association XI in the Coromandel Cement Cup tournament,

Kumble has been training and is happy with the progress he has been making. After playing a couple of club games, he has gained in confidence. The match against the Andhra Cricket Association XI is the first of any serious nature. He came through unscathed after a spell that fetched him the figures of 17-4-37-1.

Even though these are early days and the domestic first class season will start only in November, Kumble might well play for KSCA in the Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai this month.

It has been a major disappointment for Kumble to have been out of action for such a long time but he is not in a hurry to make a comeback to the Indian squad. Kumble said that he would miss the Asian Test Championship and is looking forward to the tour of South Africa. As for the medical clearance required, he added that there was no need for any certificate from his surgeon and he would take the final decision about his return to the side. Kumble is quite positive about his chances of playing in South Africa in just about two months time.