Saying goodbye to a genius

Yesterday this time I was struggling to find the right words to express my disappointment about the game. Today, I am in shock! Not because of the match (no surprises there) but because one of the greatest players of this Indian side has decided to call it quits.

And Anil Kumble announced his retirement in much the way he has gone about his game in the last 18 years - quiet, dignified and determined. Its not so much the surprise that Kumble called it quits. If you think about it, it was only a matter of time before he announced his retirement, nor is it surprising that he did it mid-series, epsecially considering his injury and numerous stitches. What jolts me as a cricket fan is the realisation that this afternoon is the last time I will see one of India's finest bowlers grace the cricketing field. This will be the last time I will see Jumbo beat batsmen with his googly or catch them off guard with a wrong one.

I wanted this to sound like a tribute but I doubt I'll be able to do it justice. How do you go about summarising nearly two decades of a genius at work? I could use a whole lot of superlatives and throw in all the cliches like great, genius, irreplacable, etc (some of which I have used already) and it'll all be true but Kumble was more than all that. He is and will remain India's most dedicated, most determined and absolutely professional cricketer, not to mention the finest bowler of this Indian side (certainly the most successful one).

His retirement is yet another testament of his commitment to his game as well as his team. He quit when he knew he could do it with dignity, do it on his own terms and at a time when he knew he would be giving the reins of captaincy to an able successor. You wouldn't expect anything less from a player who never let up, one who would risk bowling with a broken jaw to keep his end of the bargain.

And this farewell, though hurried, is nevertheless fitting because it's at the Kotla that Kumble carved his name in the hall of fame as only the second bowler ever to take 10 wickets in an inning, made all the more sweet as it came against Pakistan. And he can retire in peace knowing he's made records which are in all probability never going to be broken.

I thought writing this teary-eyed blog would help me come to terms with the fact that Kumble has indeed made his last appearance in an international match. If anything, it only makes me remember countless moments - be it his ten-wicket haul, his various milestones of 00, 500 and recently 600, his scrappy partnership with Javagal Srinath in the India-Aus match in B'lore or his much prized century - I could go on and on.

He was quiet, dignified, gifted, dedicated, committed, competitive and most importantly priceless! Who says no one is indispensable - India's just short of one now. It's heart-breaking to say goodbye to this genius. I know for a fact that it going to take me a while to get used to an Indian line-up that doesn't include Anil Kumble.