During the commentary of the KKR vs CSK IPL 2025 clash, Navjot Singh Sidhu made a nostalgic revelation that he was the one who gave Anil Kumble the now-iconic nickname ‘Jumbo’.
Sidhu recalled the moment during an Irani Trophy match, explaining that one of Kumble’s deliveries bounced sharply and struck the batter’s helmet after pitching. The exaggerated bounce, more typical of a fast bowler than a spinner, left players surprised.
“Ball pitch pe takar ke helmet pe laga… log kehne lage ye spinner hai ya fast bowler?” Sidhu recounted with his signature flair, adding that it was from that moment he coined the name ‘Jumbo’, a reference to both the bounce and Kumble’s large feet — a term that stuck with the legendary leg-spinner throughout his career.
Anil Kumble went on to become one of India’s most celebrated cricketers, with 619 Test wickets and countless match-winning performances. But as Sidhu revealed today, the story behind his famous nickname had its roots in domestic cricket and a single moment of surprise bounce.
