Anil Kumble — India's Greatest Spinner and the 10-Wicket Man
Anil Kumble took 619 Test wickets — the third most in history — and is one of only two bowlers ever to take all 10 wickets in a Test innings. Learn about the leg-spinner who carried India's bowling attack for 18 years.
Anil Kumble (born 1970, Bangalore, Karnataka) is India's highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history with 619 wickets in 132 matches at an average of 29.65 — third in the all-time list behind Muralitharan (800) and Warne (708). A right-arm leg-spinner, Kumble was not a conventional turning bowler — he relied on accuracy, pace through the air, and unusual bounce from the pitch rather than extravagant turn. Despite this unorthodox leg-spin approach, his effectiveness across 18 years of Test cricket was extraordinary.
10 for 74 — the only 10-wicket innings for India
On February 7, 1999, in the second Test against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, Anil Kumble took all 10 wickets in an innings — 10/74 — to become only the second bowler in Test history to achieve this feat, after England's Jim Laker (10/53 vs Australia, 1956). In a packed Delhi ground, with India needing to win the match to level the series, Kumble took wickets one by one until Javagal Srinath, fielding at deep mid-on, dropped the last catch. India eventually won the match. The 10-wicket innings remains one of the most celebrated bowling performances in cricket history.
Bowling with a broken jaw
Kumble's grit and determination were immortalised during the 2002 Test against West Indies in Antigua. Having suffered a fractured jaw from a Brian Lara pull shot during the match, Kumble came out to bowl on the fourth day with his jaw strapped up and bandaged. He took the wicket of Brian Lara off his second ball. The image of Kumble bowling with his head bandaged has become one of cricket's most enduring symbols of courage.
619 wickets — the Indian record
Kumble's 619 Test wickets represent the most by any Indian bowler and the third-highest in Test history. He was India's most reliable bowler across multiple eras and is one of the few spinners in history who was equally effective home and away. He also served as India's head coach from 2016-17 before stepping down after a reported rift with Virat Kohli.
Frequently asked questions
How many Test wickets did Anil Kumble take?
Anil Kumble took 619 Test wickets in 132 matches at an average of 29.65 — the third-highest in Test history behind Muralitharan (800) and Warne (708). He is India's highest wicket-taker in Tests by a large margin.
Who has taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings?
Only two bowlers have taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings: Jim Laker for England against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956 (10/53) and Anil Kumble for India against Pakistan at Delhi in 1999 (10/74). No other bowler in the history of Test cricket has achieved this feat.
Was Anil Kumble a conventional leg-spinner?
Anil Kumble was a leg-spinner, but unconventional. Unlike Shane Warne (who turned the ball massively) or other wrist spinners, Kumble generated bounce and pace through the air rather than extravagant side-spin. His accuracy and ability to extract unusual bounce from flat pitches made him effective even on surfaces that offered little to spinners.