'He is Dravid of India's bowling unit': Aussie great Steve Waugh praises this Indian bowler

Cricketing stalwart Steve Waugh, who is often referred as Australia's most successful captain, praised former Indian cricketer and revealed the reason behind his greatness. 

Steve Waugh feels no player "enjoyed playing for the country" as much as former leg-spinner Anil Kumble did. 

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"I don't think I played anyone who enjoyed playing for the country as much as he (Anil Kumble) did. It was everything to him. We certainly didn't play him as a leg-spinner. We played him more like a slow in-swing bowler," Waugh recalled in a video posted by cricket.com.au.

"He had a great change of pace. It was all about variations, use of the crease. He sort of mixed it up a bit. Anything in the wicket like a bit of rough or unevenness, and he was more than a handful."

Anil Kumble ended his prolific career with 619 Test wickets (which is the most by any Indian bowler and third-highest overall). Kumble has great stats against Australia as the Indian spin wizard scalped 111 wickets in 20 Tests at an average of 21.33. He had 10 five-wicket hauls against the Aussies. 

During Waugh's final series (2003/04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy`), Kumble took 24 wickets in three-match Test series. Waugh went on to call Kumble the "Dravid of bowling line-up". 

"He (Anil Kumble) was a fierce competitor. He was always at you and never gave you an inch. I can't remember him bowling poorly against us. He was a bit like Dravid of their bowling line-up. The captain knew what they were going to get from him. He was there all the time," Waugh said.