Kumble overhauls Kapil Dev

Anil Kumble had to wait for 69 deliveries this afternoon before he left behind Kapil Dev as India's leading wicket-taker in Tests. And fittingly, it was one of those quicker balls, with which he has caused so much damage down the years, that trapped Mohammad Rafique in front of the stumps.

Since making his debut at Old Trafford in 1990, Kumble has spent most of his career ploughing a lone furrow. Kapil Dev was around for the first couple of years, and his Karnataka mate, Javagal Srinath, offered sterling service before the rigours of bowling fast caught up with him. The spin-support cast changed often, with the likes of Venkatapathy Raju and Rajesh Chauhan making way for Sunil Joshi, and then Harbhajan Singh.

Through it all, Kumble moved serenely on, enhancing his repertoire, and making fools of those who unthinkingly labelled him a dustbowl bully. His greatest vindication came in Australia last winter, when he scalped 24 wickets in three Tests against one of the greatest teams that cricket has ever seen. He followed that up with 15 wickets in Pakistan (three Tests), 27 in the home series against Australia (four matches) and 10 against South Africa (two Tests). The light may be fading, but Anil Kumble seems determined to go out in a blaze of glory.