Kumble, the champ

Many words have been used to describe the deeds of Indian leg spinner, Anil Kumble. Tireless, whole hearted, metronomic, courageous are just a few.

Last night, he overtook Courtney Walsh's haul of 519 Test wickets, a tremendous achievement. The only players ahead are fellow spinners Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and fast-medium bowler Glenn McGrath.

Typically, in the press conference after play, Kumble stated that he did not care for milestones and would only celebrate once India wrap up the Test match against the West Indies, which they look likely to do tonight.

Kumble's worth to the Indian team goes beyond numbers. He is a senior member and by far India's most experienced bowler. Though his bowling is masterful, it is his character which impresses most. Never forget the sight of Kumble walking onto the field with his head wrapped with bandages, following a broken jaw - but not just that, he actually bowled and claimed the huge wicket of Brian Lara. It is this courage in the face of adversity that makes Kumble so endearing. This episode also showed plenty of dedication to the team cause and would have inspired his team mates to show similar commitment.

But not just courage - Kumble is also intelligent and a perfectionist. His pursuit for perfection in all aspects of his bowling is well know. Former Indian spinner, Bishan Singh Bedi said of Kumble, "You can chase perfection but you can't catch it. What happened in Kumble's case was that while chasing perfection he achieved excellence. He knew he had a weakness but he worked hard on it and conquered it. That kind of will power is a god's gift, you can practice it."

Though Kumble is India's older player at age 35, I can only hope that he plays on for a few more years and adds a few more Test wickets.