Kumble, India’s highest wicket-taker in both Tests and ODIs, ended his international career with 953 wickets in 401 matches. A ruthless competitor and inspirational leader, he took Karnataka’s cricketing identity to the world stage and later led the national team. Talking about the honour, Kumble emphasized that the recognition symbolizes the collective journey of cricket in Karnataka rather than individual glory.
He noted that the state association and its players have grown together, shaping each other’s success over decades. For him, the tribute is not about a name on a stand, but about continued recognition of contributions in a stadium that has witnessed countless historic moments.
“I don’t think it’s obvious to say that all our contributions have made Karnataka cricket what it is, just as Karnataka cricket is what made all of us. It’s not really about whose name is on which stand. It’s really special that all the contributions have been recognized and are now permanently etched into the stadium,” Kumble said in a press release.
Dravid reflected emotionally on what Chinnaswamy Stadium means to him. Dravid, India’s second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket after Sachin Tendulkar, amassed 24,064 international runs in 504 appearances, including 48 centuries. Known for his resilience and technical excellence, he also led India at an important stage in its cricketing journey.
Dravid called the ground his ‘second home’ and said he had spent more time there during his playing days than in his own house. From moments of immense joy to painful disappointments: the stadium has played a central role in his life. He expressed his deep gratitude to the KSCA and credited the venue for shaping him both as a cricketer and as a person. Dravid also shared a heartfelt memory of his father, who introduced him to the game and took him to ground matches during his childhood. If there was a stand named after him, he said, his father would have been extremely proud.
“It has been a second home to me, and it has been a place where, as Anil said, we have probably spent more time here than in our homes. It has been a place of great happiness, sometimes of great disappointment, but a place that has really given me everything that I am today. I could never be more grateful for what the KSCA and this amazing ground and this iconic ground have given me in my life,” Dravid said at the event.
Former Indian women’s captain Shantha Rangaswamy will also have a stand named after her at the stadium. The first Indian woman to score a Test century, Rangaswamy played a pioneering role in the growth of women’s cricket in the country. In 16 Tests and 19 ODIs between 1976 and 1991, she scored 1,037 runs, including one hundred and seven fifties. Her recognition marks an important step in recognizing the contributions of women cricketers to Karnataka and Indian cricket.
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