Ace leg spinner Anil Kumble created history by surpassing Kapil Dev's decade-old record of 434 wickets to become the highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket.
The 34-year-old Kumble achieved the feat when he had Muhammad Rafique trapped leg before wicket on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Bangabandhu Stadium at Dhaka on Friday.
The Karnataka bowler, who needed just one wicket to overtake Kapil before the start of the match, went on to take two wickets to boost his Test tally to 436.
Kumble achieved the milestone in 91 Test matches, whereas Kapil Dev had taken 434 wickets in 131 Tests. The legendary all-rounder had capped the feat in 1994.
Kumble had equalled the former captain's record during the second Test against South Africa at Kolkata early this month.
The veteran spinner, who had started his Test career against England in Manchester in 1990, also has the distinction of being only the second bowler in Test history after Jim Laker of England to take all 10 wickets in an innings. He had achieved this remarkable feat against Pakistan at Delhi in 1998-99.
Kumble also has 321 wickets in 259 one-day internationals at an average of 30.69.
List of leading Indian Test wicket-takers:
Player | Tests | Wickets | Average |
Anil Kumble | 91 | 436 | 28.14 |
Kapil Dev | 131 | 434 | 29.64 |
Bishan Bedi | 67 | 266 | 28.71 |
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar | 58 | 242 | 29.74 |
Javagal Srinath | 67 | 236 | 30.49 |
Leading wicket-takers in Test cricket:
Player | Mat | W | Avg | Best | 5 | 10 | SR | Econ |
S Warne | 117 | 552 | 25.54 | 8-71 | 28 | 8 | 59.6 | 2.57 |
M Muralitharan | 91 | 532 | 22.86 | 9-51 | 44 | 13 | 58.5 | 2.34 |
C Walsh | 132 | 519 | 24.44 | 7-37 | 22 | 3 | 57.8 | 2.53 |
G McGrath | 103 | 463 | 21.70 | 8-38 | 24 | 3 | 52.0 | 2.50 |
A Kumble | 91 | 436 | 28.14 | 10-74 | 28 | 6 | 65.90 | 2.56 |
Kapil Dev | 131 | 434 | 29.64 | 9-83 | 23 | 2 | 63.9 | 2.78 |
R Hadlee | 86 | 431 | 22.29 | 9-52 | 36 | 9 | 50.8 | 2.63 |
Wasim Akram | 104 | 414 | 23.62 | 7-119 | 25 | 5 | 54.6 | 2.59 |
C Ambrose | 98 | 405 | 20.99 | 8-45 | 22 | 3 | 54.5 | 2.30 |
Ian Botham | 102 | 383 | 28.40 | 8-34 | 27 | 4 | 56.9 | 2.99 |
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