One of the greatest cricketers of world cricket, Anil Kumble today said goodbye to international cricket. He is the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and one of only three bowlers to have taken more than 600 Test wickets. He played his first international cricket match 25 April 1990, since then he has taken 619 Test wickets and 330 one day international wickets. Cricket experts often criticize him as he is not a good turner of the ball but he proved his potential and talent as a leg spinner and became the second highest wicket taker among leg spinners in Test cricket behind leg spinner Shane Warne of Australia and the third of all bowlers after Warne and off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and has claimed 619 Test wickets.

He is one of only two bowlers in the history of cricket to have taken all 10 wickets in a test innings, the other being Jim Laker of England. Today he played his last test match of his career at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi against Australia. However the test was drawn. He was given a guard of Honor by his team mates before entering his favorite ground to bowl for one last time in Australia’s second innings. The fans at the Kotla stadium gave him a memorable standing ovation. It was at this venue that Kumble took all 10 wickets in an innings, against Pakistan in 1999.

What his colleagues said about him?

“It’s truly an Honor and privilege to have played in the same era. He will remain an inspiration for the next generations. To become another Anil Kumble one will have to work really, really hard,” Sachin Tendulkar

“He is an extraordinary man with extraordinary career. It’s been a privilege to play with him,” Rahul Dravid

“Anil is probably topmost of all. In that way he will be missed. I do not think his boots will be easy to fill. It will take quite some time. ” Saurav Ganguly

Anil Kumble’s wickets

1st: Allan Lamb (England)
50th: David Houghton (Zimbabwe)
100th: Martin Crowe (New Zealand)
150th: Sherwin Campbell (West Indies)
200th: Pommie Mbangwa (Zimbabwe)
250th: Dion Nash (New Zealand)
300th: Matthew Hoggard (England)
350th: Jacob Oram (New Zealand)
400th: Darren Lehmann (Australia)
450th: Mohammad Sami (Pakistan)
500th. Stephen Harmison (England)
550th: Khaled Mashud (Bangladesh)
600th: Andrew Symonds (Australia)
619th: Mitchell Johnson (Australia)

Watch out Kumble’s Ten wickets haul against Pakistan.

It is definitely end of an era of spin bowling for India. He is the cricketer who proved that there is much more in spin bowling rather than just turning the ball. He always believed more on accuracy, variations and bounce than spinning the ball. I will never forget his commitment for his bowling when he was badly injured in a match against West Indies where, despite having his broken jaw being heavily taped and dressed, he came back for bowling and took the very precious wicket of Brian Lara. I wish him best or luck for his future endeavour.