Farewell for Anil Kumble. Review on Anil Kumble

No bowler in India's history has won more Test matches than Anil Kumble. Kumble is one of the most feared leg-spinners in the world when he gets his length. On February 7th 1999, the tall bowler achieved a feat that had only been managed once before. Against arch-rivals Pakistan in the second Test at Delhi, Kumble took all the ten wickets in the second innings, at a cost of 74 runs. He has taken more than 200 wickets in both one-day and Test cricket and provides a deadly weapon to India's arsenal. Although officially a leg-spinner, it is his well-concealed googly and top-spinning flipper, along with his faster balls, that are his strike weapons rather than the leg-break, which he turns little. He is always economical - a bonus in the one-day game, especially for a spinner - and is also a useful lower-order batsmen. Kumble is now India's leading wicket taker in Test cricket.

For most of his career Kumble struggled to make an impact outside India, but he turned that around magnificently in Australia in 2003-04, winkling out an incredible 24 wickets in three Test matches. Three months later, his 6 for 71 on a flat pitch at Multan helped India win a Test in Pakistan for the first time. Then, he had more success in the West Indies in 2006, taking 23 wickets in four Tests, including a match haul of 7 for 110 in the last Test in Jamaica which helped India achieve their first series win there in 35 years. He became the India's first spinner to take 300 Test wickets. A year later, almost to the day, he became the first to do so in one-dayers.

In March 2006, He became the first Indian bowler to reach 500 Test wickets, when he trapped Steve Harmison lbw in the Mohali Test.

Less than a month after his 37th birthday, he received the ultimate honour when he was named India's Test captain 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. He was also India's leading wicket-taker with 20 in the four Tests.

His form, however, slipped during the tour of Sri Lanka and there were calls for him to quit after a wicketless performance in the Bangalore Test against Australia. A shoulder injury added fuel to the fire and an upset Kumble reacted sharply, saying that he had it in him to continue for a while longer. However, he changed his mind during the Delhi Test and announced his retirement, fittingly at his favourite venue. He finished his career as the third-highest Test wicket-taker(619), behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.

*Full name  Anil Kumble

Born  October 17, 1970, Bangalore, Karnataka

Current age  38 years 17 days

Batting style  Right-hand bat

Bowling style  Legbreak googly

Batting and fielding averages

Mat     Runs         HS  Ave 100         50 Ct St Tests 132 2506        110*         17.77    1    5        60              0 ODIs 271 938          26         10.53             0   0  85 0

Bowling averages

Mat     Balls      Runs     Wkts     BBI Ave      Econ      5w Tests 132      40850   18355 619   10/74     29.65       2.69       35 ODIs 271      14496    10412 337    6/12       30.89       4.30       2*