Anil Kumble

The greatest Indian bowler retired from cricket. How do I describe his career?

• A fighter who performed with grit and determination
• The greatest Indian match winner (with due respect to Sachin and Dravid)
• Man who inspired a generation of individuals with this hardwork and professionalism
• A man who handled captaincy with such great poise that made us all wonder if only he got his captaincy earlier
• A test bowler who has more than 600 wickets
• As a lower order batsman who gave everything he has got
• A player who broke his jaw and yet came to bowl for the team
• 11 stitches did not stop him from taking the field in his last test (so fittingly)
• A man who retired on his own terms
• A man who had to fight criticsm all his life.. he can't bowl leg spin.. he is tired.. he is old.. he is home-track bowler....
  
• ....
  

All these still don't add up to Kumble! As usual he went his own way. No extravagant announcements. I am really sad I did not watch the match yesterday. Kumble was the man I always respected and wanted to bid him my farewell. To imagine he will never play again will take time to sink in. I got up and read the news and belive it or not I had tears streaming on my cheeks. I salute you Kumble. Indian cricket is fortunate to have a player like you. I am privilged to have seen so many of your wonderful bowling performances. The present might not treat you with as much respect as you deserve but once people realize what they miss when you are not around I am sure you will get the praise you more than deserve. But I know it does not matter to you an iota. You did your job with the same determination whether there were people cheering you or not. That for me is the greatest lesson in life. Perform your role to the best of your ability and let things take their own turn after that. It is simple to say this and yet to work without looking at the results is not easy. But he has done it all his life for 18 long years!

Even the end to his career was as Kumblesque as possible.. modest and clear.

At this moment I would like to thank my family, my parents, who gave me all the encouragement, supported me and asked me to bowl legspin. Although I am still trying to find out how I can bowl legspin.

Thank you all for all the support I have received right through my career. I've built some great friendships and met some
fantastic people along the way. You'll probably start calling me from tomorrow for quotes about somebody else. Give me a break for a couple of days and I'll certainly take all your calls

What can you say?
Today India lost not just a legspinner who has more than 600 test wickets, but also a man who has served Indian cricket with all he has got for the last 18 years. There will never be another Kumble. There will not be for sure. I think that is what makes it so hard to imagine he wont play again! Surely India will miss you man. As far as I am concerned I cannot even say in words how much I will miss you and your steely graze!

I wish you success in anything you pursue in the future and thanks for all the wonderful moments!