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Good Guys Win. At the End!
 The Indian cricketing world did not come to an end on the day India's highest wicket taker and the third highest in the world, Anil Kumble, decided to bid adieu. That is precisely his style. A player who always played for his team, for the team's cause, for its glory, and who refused steadfastly and till the very last, when he delivered the last ball of his last over in an international game, even a hint of an idea that he was a larger-than-size superstar, a heavyweight who could not be pushed, and a player who was bigger than the game.
When the Delhi crowd at his favorite pitch, the Ferozshah Kotla gave him a standing and emotional ovation, he just smiled in return.
Jumbo Anil Bhai was always defiant on the field, disciplined off it, a colossus on the cricket ground, and a gentleman off it.
As with all truly great players, Kumble is famous for many comebacks, against all odds. When he was supposed to fade away quietly into the sunset, he returned to walk the 22-year ramp, as the captain of the Indian team. The Smiling Assassin returned yet again to bite the bullet, and go for the kill, plotting the batsman's downfall, as bowler and as skipper.
Every choice of a captain is by definition controversial. But the good thing about Kumble's choice - at least till the start of the last series of his career - was, no one said he wasn't. Or rather everyone said, he was - that is, a good man and a good choice.
csaying he's isn't. And yet the world is not going to stop going round if he god forbid, fails. Why? Because, for all his stupendous feats, for some reason one cannot really fathom, he's no superstar like say, Sachin Tendulkar. All through his glittering long career, he has manfully taken on the burden of being the team's sole match-winning bowler, uncomplaining, like Atlas. Yet, he has never loomed larger than life like the other veterans in the team. Eg: When Sachin scores a century, people talk about it on and on, until he gets another. Whereas, when Kumble gets a five-for, we forget it by the time the next match begins, unless he takes another five-for.
There was a time when he was dropped. It now looks like a long way ago - that's one indication of his staying power and how he has come back for good. Critics ridiculed his style, poking fun at his lack of turn. He responded by becoming India's highest wicket taker; not just that, the wickets have come at a very healthy strike rate. They laughed at his overseas record. He went to Australia and took 24 wickets Down Under against the world's number one team.
At thirty-seven years of age, the only chink in his armour is his tired legs. But look at the way he dives in the outfield. Kumble has always believed in giving his 110%, every game, against every team, in any part of the world. Tired he definitely is, but his attitude has always been fresh, energetic and full of enthu, matching the vim and vigour of a debutant.
Larger than life he is not, but there have been occasions when his performances have transformed his image and given him the aura of a true superman. Like when he took ten wickets in an innings against Pakistan. Or still better, when he bowled with a broken jaw against the Windies, and took Brian Lara's wicket. That's the spirit Team India can and should emulate with Kumble at the helm.
What can one say about his bowling that has not been said before? Sunil Gavaskar once said that Kumble bowls like he expects to take a wicket every ball. His zeal to bowl is unwavered, from the first over of the day till the last ball at draw of stumps.
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