Anil Kumble on his two-day masterclass with spinners at CoE

India’s highest wicket-taker across Tests and ODIs, Anil Kumble, spent two days working with a group of young spinners at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The sessions gave the upcoming cricketers direct access to one of the finest spin bowlers the country has produced, and the experience clearly left a strong impression on both sides.

Taking to X, Kumble reflected on the camp and singled out the attitude of the spinners who attended. “Their hunger to learn and improve was truly encouraging,” he wrote. He also described the CoE facility itself as “outstanding”.

Kumble also credited the leadership at the facility, referring to VVS Laxman as “my dear friend” and acknowledging the environment Laxman and his team have built at the CoE. He extended best wishes to each of the spinners who took part in the two-day session as they continue their development.

“A pleasure spending two days with the Young Spinners at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Their hunger to learn and improve was truly encouraging. My best wishes to each one of them. The facility at COE is outstanding and a credit to everyone at BCCI, my dear friend VVS Laxman and his team for the excellent work in creating an environment that nurtures and develops India’s next generation of cricketers,” Kumble reflected.

The groundwork for this kind of specialist engagement was laid in early 2026. A March 2026 report noted that Laxman, who serves as Head of Cricket at the CoE, had approached his former teammates for four to five day specialised camps to help the next generation of Indian cricketers become match-ready. Kumble was specifically requested to hold a wrist spinners’ camp, while Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh were approached for their respective disciplines.

Background to the BCCI’s specialist camp programme

The BCCI selects participants for these camps from a pool of potential senior India prospects who have performed well at age-group and first-class levels and have also represented India A or, in some cases, the senior team.

This model of bringing former India greats into the CoE for targeted work has a longer history. The practice dates to the tenure of Jagmohan Dalmiya as BCCI chief, when legends such as Chandu Borde, Erapalli Prasanna and Syed Kirmani coached players at Zonal Cricket Academy camps at the erstwhile National Cricket Academy, now the CoE. The 2026 edition of the programme has extended that tradition across disciplines, with specialised sessions for wicketkeepers, spinners and fast bowlers conducted at the Bengaluru facility.

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