Hi Anil, Kumble, Jumbo, Mr.100%, Smiling Assasin, Team player, Legend, True sportsman, Statesman, Diplomat, Cricket Ambassador, ............. Wonderful Human Being,
The list keeps going but still short of words to describe you. U hve been a champion cricketer who alone carried the burdens of taking wickets in test matches for 18 yrs. No wonder your shoulders would hve been tired of carrying such a huge responsibility all along but one thing I know for sure, that the fire inside you was still there even after u announced retirement. No one can ever dare to touch ur record. But above all, India can never find such a dignified person & so down-to-earth kind of guy.
Hats-off to you man. I salute you. Thanks for entertaining us & also for teaching us how to carry urself in a dignified way & so down-to-Earth even after having achieved so much & yet being so simple.
Kumble, you have been part of my life right from the day i started watching cricket. So many memories of you, yet can't get enough of you. I am still not able to come out that sad feeling of your retirement announcement. No Gangulys and Dravids will come anywhere near to the giant stature you have. Anyway, all the very best for you future.
Re: Adios to the fastest bowler in the history of Indian cricket!!!
by Ajit Gole on Nov 04, 2008 03:06 AM
his bowling cannot be categorized. and thats why he got all those wickets
Very nicely written article! sensitive and sensible..on a topic so close to so many of us..its not the easiest of tasks.. I always fancy a big sculpture garden in India with all the best of Indians over the ages represented there...you can easily imagine Jumbo occupying a pride of place in it...
Re: Nicely written
by Indranil Sengupta on Nov 04, 2008 06:49 AM
Are the standards of rediff falling? The starting of the headline "Adios' is not in any English dictionary. Adieu yes, audio yes but Adios-no. Will rediff editor answer or allow us to tolerate this type of onslaught on our grammar, senses and logic etc?
Great cricketer statesman one has to say. Jumbo deserves all the applause and wishes bestowed upon him. True living legend of sorts in world cricket. Best of luck.
Surely this series is a special one. Some of the stickiest players are going. Good days are not farther. I do not want to demean them. They have done great service to the nation. But forgot when to leave. Even if they make centuries or take 10 wickets now its not important. They should make way for youngsters though they loose. After all even these great five did not perform straight away. How can youngsters learn when they dont get a chance. Now I am waiting for Dravid, Laxman and Sachin to go. Dont care even if Laxman made a double ton only yesterday. (With all due respect to them) For all those who profess to keep the seniors lets take Gavasker. In his days he was the getter of most runs. Do you mean on that basis he should have palyed for ever? Every great player will have to retire. But it will be more painless if they realize their time and do it volunterily with out getting pushed out.
Re: Two down and three more to go
by Yogaguru on Nov 04, 2008 07:06 AM
What do you mean by stickiest player? Player are there to stick and play. It is neither a public bus nor a local train that people come and go. It is a cricket team. Saurav and Anil stayed there by dint of hard labour and calibre and not by your piles infected moth eaten forefathers' grace you idiot!
Re: Two down and three more to go
by vimalan sadhasivam on Nov 03, 2008 11:50 PM
we already have so many quota systems in our country..why should we give quotas to youngsters in sports..let me them come up on their own
Re: Two down and three more to go
by vimalan sadhasivam on Nov 03, 2008 11:49 PM
Mr. Atlaf, probably it is time for you to quit your job although you might still be doing well in your career coz so many youngsters do not have any job in this country...would you, please?
Re: Two down and three more to go
by vinod urath on Nov 04, 2008 03:11 PM
correctly told...these type of people look other side whn it comes to their own while passing great soundingadvices to others.......dont shout ar ..do it..
Re: Two down and three more to go
by Vira on Nov 04, 2008 01:30 AM
Talk about the stickiest player- Ganguly the tiger. Pretty much every Indian cricketing fraternity was against him. Odds against him but he fought. A winner through and through. He pretty much single handedly defied world cricketing order. No Patronage , no supporters and no sponsorers. Sheer grit. And a will to win for the country. We want his kind. He is the leader we all want to to have with the type of Sachin and Anil as his source of strength. We take proud of them all. Last but not the least we want the next world cup. It better belong to the deserved. That is - India.
Re: Re: Two down and three more to go
by TARUN KHULLAR on Nov 03, 2008 11:19 PM
With people like u, Indian Cricket has never moved on. Pls...... give some respect to the players who have done well and won accolades. They will decide their time to retire. Lets not get after them. Dhoni is still not test class. He hasnt proved himself as yet.
Re: Two down and three more to go
by ramakrishnan sr on Nov 04, 2008 09:09 AM
I fully agree that we need to give respect to our grts. But, boss, if dhoni is not test class, then who among the indian wicketkeepers is test class? U need a wicketkeeper right? So, do u think dinesh kartick or parthiv patel is test class and better than dhoni? U need to give options and not just say something for the sake of saying.
Re: Two down and three more to go
by Effortless on Nov 03, 2008 11:51 PM
For your information there is no retirement age for cricketers nor is there a limit to the number of tests/years they can play, so why should players retire when they are performing well and are meeting the minimum standards for fitness? If you dont understand this simple statement, then you should stop following the game.
Re: Two down and three more to go
by seejo paul on Nov 04, 2008 02:43 AM
R u a Pakistani? It seems u dont like a situation where world's bests are playing for our country. Who doesn't know when to retire? Anil kumble? or Sourav Ganguly? When shud one retire? Whether one shud retire for the young cricketers in India? R ur kid playing cricket? Or u urself r looking for a chance? Actually its their responsibility to play for the country as long as the country needs them.Only in the last series in Srilanka he became form out. Until then he was the star performer. Even in Australia in the beginning of this year he was the one who help India to comeback hard. He dint took so many wickets as last time but indeed the wickets he took was soo crucial.In the last series in Srilanka he cudn't perform. He tried to comeback in this series. He cudn't. He dint waste even a single minute . Atleast he cud have waited to complete the series. He din't do that. If the so called seniors ie. Sachin, Sourav, Lakshman and Dravid retire now, some dogs may stop barking. But what will be the fate of Indian cricket? The difference between these players and ur younger generation cricketers is that they may hit a century even when they are out of form. They have the attitude to fight hard till the last moment even when things doesnt go good for them. Our new players, if they r in form they will perform or else perish quickly.
Even at the age of 39, he is still rated high and most wanted in the cricket arena. A true gentleman and a clever cricketer - how else he could snare a whooping 619 wickets - he epitomed the true indian spirit. Most of the people would have given up and definitely slowed down after crossing the age of 35, but this gallant warrior still retained his pivotal position in indian cricket. There is no bad mannerisms or accusations levelled against him during his illustrious career and that speaks a lot about this wonderful sportsman. The courage he displayed during crucial cricketing moments and the sheer pleasre he has aroused while capturing a wicket still rankles. if one could count the number of dropped catches spilled off his bowling, he would have been the numero uno among wicket takers in the world today. Hats off jumbo, you are really great
We shall remember you for your 100% commitment towards the sport called cricket and your passion for playing for the country. You have been a gr8 sportsman and ambassador of cricket. It will be a long long time for somebody to fill in the vooooooooooooooooid left by you. We wish you all the best in your second innings of your life.
