Finally, the champion announces his retirement. Anil Kumble, the ace leg spinner of India, has called it a day on the final day of the third test match between India and Australia played here at his favorite ground, Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi.
Amidst a lot of speculation from media and pressure surmounting to either perform or perish, Kumble has decided to follow Saurav Ganguly's boots. He was not at his best since the Sri Lanka tour and could only take three wickets this series and went wicketless for around 83 overs - what he had never gone through in his illustrious career till now. After getting injured in the first test, he missed the second. He again made a come-back in the third, but got injured and had 11 stitches in his left hand. Nevertheless, he has a big heart and he did bowl after that injury. He took three wickets and had put a brake on the Aussie scores.
He started his ODI career in 1990 against Sri Lanka at Sharjah and made his Test debut against England at Manchester in the same year. Then spectacled, Kumble, looked very promising at the very start and cricket pundits had annoucned he would go a long run.
Never an Indian player had been such a fighter and a match winner as him. He had different plans for each batsman and always trapped them with his flighted deliveries and googlies. His balls didn't turn much, as should have been for a spinner, but he had the rare ability to skid it through with bounce and pace, which surprsied the batsmen.
He had already announced retirement from ODIs in 2007 after the Bermuda - India match at the World Cup. His tests wickets are massive 619, and is third highest wicket taker after Muralitharan and Shane Warne.
Kumble will be remembered for his never-say-die attitude. One may think of the Antigua test where he had jaw fracture but then also he came out to bowl and bowled superbly. And it somewhat repeated here at Kotla, bowling with 11 stitches in his left hand.
But Kumble's career highlights would be his ten for against Pakistan in 1999 at Feroz Shah Kotla. Only Jim Laker had achieved this feat before. In December 2001, on home turf in Bangalore, he became India's first spinner to take 300 Test wickets. Together with Javagal Srinath, he created magics for India for many years. He had always been a prominent and frontline wicket taker right through his career. Out of the team two-three times because of injuries, otherwise he had only some healthy competition from Harbhajan Singh, who was often given preferences in ODIs.
He was also the Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1996.
Not only with the ball, but he has also excelled with the bat. A commendable stuff for a full time bowler, he hit a century at the Oval in 2007, something which had been waiting for 17 years and 118 matches. He also had played a major role many a times with the bat, saving a test match often. And finally he was rewarded with a test captaincy in after his 37th birthday, for the home series against Pakistan. He went on to win the series, the first home triumph against Pakistan in 27 years, before playing a big role in holding the side together during the controversial series in Australia.
Of late, the champion was struggling with his performance as well as fitness. With a sword always hanging on the seniors these days, he tried his best but perished and greatfully announced the retirement, which may seem to have come at the rightest time.
We may say, India has lost a fighter, a match winner and the brains behind its lots of success. Hail Anil Kumble! You are the truest champion.
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