Kamal Ghorui
BENGALURU: For over two decades, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid stood shoulder-to-shoulder — for India, Karnataka and Royal Challengers Bengaluru — forming the spine of teams built on discipline and excellence. Rarely were they on opposite sides. At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium now, that has changed — symbolically.The former India captains have bowling ends named after them at their home ground, a decision taken by the Karnataka State Cricket Association in Feb this year to honour two of its most illustrious sons. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On Sunday, ahead of the southern derby between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings, Kumble and Dravid, accompanied by their families, formally unveiled the ends.In a brief but emotionally charged pre-match ceremony, the greats were given a rousing reception by a packed stadium. The Chinnaswamy, a venue that shaped their journeys from promising cricketers to legends, echoed with applause as the two walked out together — one more time.Their former India teammate and current KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad, along with secretary Santosh Menon, presented citations to them. Kumble began his address in English before switching to Kannada, but his words were largely drowned out by the deafening cheers from the stands. Both Kumble and Dravid thanked the KSCA for the honour and acknowledged the role of the BCCI, their families and fans in their journeys.The occasion was made more special with their families by their side. Kumble was joined by his wife Chetana and children Aaruni, Mayas and Svasti, while Dravid was accompanied by his mother Pushpa and brother Vijay.After the ceremony, Kumble quickly returned to his broadcaster duties, while Dravid spent some time greeting players from both the teams. At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where they built their legacy together, Kumble and Dravid now stand bound together forever in history.
