ToBE #9 : Kumble, the second person after Kapil Dev

October 2004's major news item for Indian cricket fans was "Kumble became the second Indian after Kapil Dev to take 400 wickets in test cricket". The statement begs the question, "Who was the first Indian after Kapil Dev to take 400 wickets?"

The answer is obviously not Kapil as we have already accounted for him and we are looking for the first person after him, since Kumble is the second. This exposes a flaw in the original statement. It should have been either of:

• Kumble became the first Indian after Kapil Dev to take 400 wickets in test cricket

• Kumble became the second Indian, after Kapil Dev, to take 400 wickets in test cricket

Adding the commas makes the difference and identifies Kapil Dev as the first person and Kumble as the second.