Anil Kumble is an institution of spin bowling: Punjab Kings all-rounder Jalaj Saxena 

Punjab Kings head coach Anil Kumble made some exciting signings at the IPL Auction 2021, one of them being that of Kerala all-rounder Jalaj Saxena. The uncapped player has been a part of three IPL franchises before but is yet to play his first IPL game.

Saxena considers himself fortunate to have received an opportunity to train under Anil Kumble. Speaking to Cricket Next ahead of IPL 2021, Jalaj said:

"I feel I’m very fortunate to play under Anil Kumble (coach). Anil sir is a legend and if I talk about spin. he’s an institution. There will be so much to learn from him and I’m looking forward to it. Hope I learn many things."

After years of impressive performances in the domestic circuit, Jalaj Saxena is hoping to get an opportunity to show his talent in the #IPL @lk_karthik reports #IPL #IPL2021 #PunjabKingshttps://t.co/x7JJRPxQ8f

— News18.com (@news18dotcom) April 5, 2021

Jalaj Saxena further stated his dream was to perform well for the Punjab Kings in IPL 2021 and guide the team to its maiden trophy.

“US lifting the trophy and me contributing. That’s one thing I dream of. It’s a result-oriented thing, but if we can focus on the process the results will come," Jalaj Saxena concluded.

Can head coach Anil Kumble reverse Punjab Kings' fortunes in IPL 2021?

Anil Kumble (first from left) at IPL Auction 2021 (Image courtesy: IPLT20.com)

The Punjab Kings have not qualified for the playoffs even once since the 2014 season. Last year, they gained momentum in the second half of the season but ultimately settled for the sixth position.

Head coach Anil Kumble has assembled a solid squad for IPL 2021. The likes of Dawid Malan, Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Jalaj Saxena, Shahrukh Khan and Saurabh Kumar have been brough on board.

Anil Kumble will now aim to form a match-winning combination right from the beginning. Last year, the Punjab Kings could win only one of their first six matches.

The mains had their 👀 glued on the practice match today 👌#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #IPL2021 @anilkumble1074 pic.twitter.com/GACe5zGESS

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 4, 2021

If the Kings fail to get off to a good start, they will likely end up in the bottom half again. It will be interesting to see how the Anil Kumble-coached outfit performs in their first season after the rebranding.