Kumble surprises cricket world by announcing retirement

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Anil Kumble, the most successful Indian bowler and one of the all-time greats of the game, Sunday surprised the cricket world by announcing his retirement from international cricket after 18 years during which he took 619 Test and 337 one-day wickets.

Under attack and written off by critics as ageing, the
38-year-old captain made the surprise decision with one match
still to go in the current four-Test series against Australia
as an injury suffered during the match made him a doubtful
starter for the next outing in Nagpur later this week.

"I am not able to take the grind of Test cricket any
more. It is difficult to continue like this", Kumble said at a
post-match press conference explaining the decision.

Called 'Jumbo' by his teammates, he had already announced
his retirement from one-day cricket and with Sunday's
decision, the second of the 'Fab Five' makes his departure
from international cricket.

While Sourav Ganguly announced his decision before the
start of the series, questions have been raised over the
continuance of V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Sachin
Tendulkar who have all maintained that they know when to go.

Before the start of the first Test in Bangalore,
speculation had mounted about the possibility of his exiting
the game at the end of the series when Kumble wrote that he
would be playing for the last time before his home crowd.

"I would like to be remembered as someone who gave his
100 percent every time I went out there", he said, trying to
check his emotions.
"I would like to be remembered as someone who raised the
bar for the team, someone who took 600 plus wickets for the
first time in India, which is a good sign", Kumble said.
"It was a very tough decision particularly after playing
competitive cricket for the last 18 years. But the body gave
the decision. This injury probably helped me take the
decision," he said.

He said he decided to retire yesterday. "I won't be 100
per cent fit for Nagpur and it is no use going to Nagpur
without being 100 percent fit. So I thought it's my time to
go", Kumble said.

Asked about the response of his teammates when he
informed them of his retirement decision, Kumble said, "the
response I got I was proud of it. I have played with lots of
players -- Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly,
V.V.S. Laxman, Virender Sehwag, the younger lot and of course
with captains like Mohd. Azharuddin. I am proud to have played
along with some of the great players."

Kumble said he would want to go to Nagpur for the final
Test to wish Sourav Ganguly on his last Test and Laxman on his
100th Test.

"I may not be going with the team tomorrow. But I would
want to be in dressing room in Nagpur and see that India win
the series," he said.

Kumble said Delhi was a very special place for him --
first as a cricketer and then as a team we have fantastic
records here.

"I did inform my teammates, who played with me all
through the years, the chief of selection panel, the chairman
of the Cricket Board and all those who mattered the most.
I told them this is the last day of Test cricket for me".

Kumble said he was never worried by the constant
criticism and always tried to focus on his game.

"Criticism started 18 years ago when people said I could
not bowl well... But when I could not play these last two
Tests (against Australia) I looked back at my career. I don't
take a call based on criticism.

"I think there were different phases when you play for
such long. I had gone through difficult phase in the start of
my career when people questioned my ability... which continued
till the last.

On whether he planned to continue playing in the Indian
Premier League, Kumble said "I've obligation towards my
franchise so I will take a call on that later.

"After the shoulder injury, I played for eight years.
Surely second phase was more satisfying. We won more matches
in West Indies, Pakistan, Autralia. They were all very
challenging but to come out triumphant is satisfying", Kumble
said.

Kumble recalled his most cherished moments on the field
and said he did not want to make the team suffer because of
his injuries, the latest of which was a finger cut on his left
hand that needed 11 stitches.

"I don't regret anything. I have given my 100 percent.
But I cherish many things like my first series in 1990 under
Azhar, Kotla is very special as I got a 10-wicket haul here,
Test victories all over the world.

"I don't know how I cut myself so bad. I could see my
flesh. I got 11 stitches. Doctors said I needed to be given
anaesthesia and here I was needed to make a cricketing
decision as it was going to waste a lot of time. My stitches
would come out only on November 8.

"It is not easy, I could not have given 100 per cent and
I did not want my team to suffer because of this," he said.

Kumble said even if the injury had not happened, he had
made up his mind to quit after this series.

He said Indian cricket has gone further since the time
he started in terms of results. "It is only going to improve
with the coming generations because you want to do better than
your predecessors," he said.

Regarded as one of the best spinners in the world, Kumble
took over the captaincy in November 2007 after Rahul Dravid
relinquished the post. He led India to victory in the home
series against Pakistan, the first home triumph against the
traditional rivals in 27 years.

A gentleman cricketer, Kumble played a key role in
keeping emotions in check and being the true ambassador
during India's ill-tempered tour of Australia.

A fighter to the core, Kumble was often criticised for
not being a great turner of the ball early in his career but
the Karnataka stalwart kept silencing his critics with heroic
performances right through his career.

Besides his Test exploits, Kumble had an impressive
record in the shorter version of the game with 337 wickets in
271 matches, the highest number of scalps by an Indian bowler
till date. PTI A.Y.