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 New Delhi : In a shocking yet impending announcement on Sunday, ace Indian spinner and Test skipper Anil Kumble decided to quit cricket after the Delhi Test. The spin spearhead for more than a decade, the veteran of 132 Tests had already announced his retirement from the ODIs after the 2007 World Cup.
The giant screens at the stadium flashed a one-liner saying: "Anil Kumble has decided to retire after this match and will not travel to Nagpur for the final Test".
Kumble had been going through a form slump and missed the second Test at Mohali due to a shoulder injury. He bowled on Saturday with 11 stiches on his fingers and his injured left-hand heavily bandaged. He picked up 3 wickets.
Anil Kumble, a veteran of 131 Tests and 271 ODIs was under pressure from several quarters, the most recent being former chairman of selectors Dilip Vengesarkar, to take an early call on his retirement, especially after he went wicketless in the Bangalore Test.
“Kumble has not been performing since the last six to seven Tests. He has been a great servant for the country for the last 18 years but he has not done anything of note in the last few matches, his time is up now”, he had told a news channel yesterday.
He made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 1990 and later played his first Test against England in the same year. He went on piling up record after record, one of them being the fastest 50 wickets in Tests (10 matches) by an Indian, which he still holds. He is also the second fastest in terms of taking 100 wickets (21 Tests) only next to Erapalli Prasanna.
Although often criticized as not a big turner of the ball, Kumble, with 619 wickets to his name, is also the third highest wicket-taker of all times behind Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan and retired Australian genius Shane Warne. With 337 wickets fron 271 ODIs, he is also the leading India’s wicket-taker in ODIs.
Anil Kumble is the only Indian bowler in the history of cricket to clinch 10 wickets in an innings of a match. He achieved this unassailable feat against arch-rivals Pakistan at this very Ferozeshah Kotla stadium in New Delhi in 1999.
The stalwart had announced his retirement from the ODI after the 2007 World Cup debacle where India had failed to go beyond the group stages.
He was bestowed with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1995. Kumble was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the year in 1996.
In 2005, the Government of India presented him with the Padma Shri.
My body gave me the answer: Kumble
“My body gave me the answer,” were the words with which Anil Kumble made the formal announcement of his retirement after the Ferozshah Kotla Test. It was a tough decision”, he said. I had decided to retire after the Nagpur Test but the injury forced me to take the decision yesterday.
Paying glowing tributes to his teammates he said, “It was great sharing the dressing room with the likes of Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman.”
He also thanked all his captains he had played under right from Azhar to Ganguly to Dravid.
Kumble also that he will be present at Nagpur to cheer India.
“I will be there at Nagpur to wish Dada for his retirement and Laxman for his hundredth Test.”
On a parting note he also thanked his family and well wishers.
“I would like to thank my wife, children and of course the millions of fans for their support throughout the career.”
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