Anil Kumble: India's greatest matchwinner

3rd November 2008 will forever be marked as a day when India’s second greatest test player, and India’s best bowler bid adieu to international cricket. To many, Kumble was a thorough gentleman. To his opponents he was a fierce competitor. To his compatriots he was simply Jumbo. I like to call him the Silent Killer, or simply Killer. He had the knack of picking up wickets whenever required. There would be an air of anticipation as soon as Kumble got the ball in his hands. For the better part of his career he was India’s Lethal Weapon.

Anil Kumble, age 38 years, has left international cricket amid emotional scenes today at the Ferozeshah Kotla. I, for one, had this feeling at the start of this match that this series would be Killer’s final. Even though he had failed miserably in the last couple of series, Anil Kumble will forever be remembered as one of India’s greatest champions. Who could forget 10-out-of-10. Not me as I was there to witness the one of the finest moment’s in Indian cricket. I still remember that match. Pakistan openers Afridi and Saeed Anwar were smashing Indian bowlers to a pulp. The crowd wanted Kumble. They knew if anyone could pick up a wicket then it was him. And Jumbo did not disappoint. In fact he went 9 more steps further by becoming only the second player in Test cricket history to take all 10 wickets in an innings.

Kumble’s departure has created a big void in Indian cricket. There is no one who could match up to this great man’s commitment. We may all be euphoric about Amit Mishra’s 7 wicket haul in his debut match or salivating at the prospect of young Piyush Chawla’s impending return to Test cricket. But make no mistakes that Anil Kumble can and will never be replaced. He is a once in a lifetime cricketer who used his guile and his temperament to pick up over 600 wickets. Not like Muralitharan who has used a defective elbow, or even Shane Warne who bowled with magical turn.

A salute to an Indian bowling legend. I never got to see Bishen Bedi or the famous Indian quadruplet, but I have been honored to see the career of Anil Kumble. That is good enough for me. Three big cheers for Killer, Hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray.

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