Twelve years back, on this day, Indian legendary spinner Anil Kumble became the third bowler to bag 600 Test wickets on the international arena. He became the first Indian spinner to achieve this remarkable feat.
On January 17, 2018, Anil Kumble removed Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the third Test of the 2007-08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as his 600th Test wicket. India batted first in the third Test and managed to score 330 runs courtesy a brilliant 93-run knock by Rahul Dravid. Visiting bowlers put up a brilliant show of bowling to bowl out Australia on 294 in first innings.
India went on to win the match at Perth in 2008. This was also India’s first win at Perth ever.
Anil Kumble announced his international retirement in 2008 only and ended his career with 619 wickets in his Test career. The 2007-08 Border-Gavaskar trophy is being remembered even today for all the wrong reasons as it was in this series that racial abuse between Harbhajan-Symonds happened. Harbhajan and Symonds clashed on the field after a verbal interaction. Symonds accused Harbhajan of targeting him racially. It was alleged that Harbhajan called Symonds a ‘Monkey’.
Even after 12 years of his retirement, Kumble stands tall on the third position of the all-time highest wicket-takers in Test cricket. Kumble with 619 wickets stands next to Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).
Not many people would be knowing this fact but Anil Kumble played his first international Test match in 1990 against England. He debuted in ODI format in the same year against Sri Lanka. Kumble has also played the fastest format of Cricket, T20, featuring for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL and representing Surrey against Gloucestershire in 2006.
Kumble, who also became head coach of India, bagged 337 wickets in his ODI career and also scalped a total of 57 wickets in T20I’s. Kumble has a century and 5 fifties registered to his name in his wonderful Test career.
