Last Updated:
On This Day In 2008: Playing against Australia in the third Test of the series at the WACA in Perth, Anil Kumble achieved this historic feat
Anil Kumble picked up the wicket of Symonds in the first innings to etch his name in the record books. (Image: @ddsportschannel/X, formerly Twitter)
On This Day In 2008: One of the greatest bowlers ever to represent the Indian cricket team, Anil Kumble picked up his 600th Test wicket on this day (January 17) in 2008. Playing against Australia in the third Test of the series at the WACA in Perth, Kumble achieved this historic feat. Kumble picked up the wicket of Symonds in the first innings to etch his name in the record books.
With this, Kumble became the first Indian bowler to reach 600 wickets in red-ball cricket. Overall, he was just the third bowler in the history of Test cricket to enter the 600-club. Kumble ended his glorious career with 619 Test wickets to his name.
The leg-spinner remains India’s all-time highest wicket-taker in the longest format. Kumble capped off his career as the third-highest Test wicket-taker, behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. He is currently the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker.
The Karnataka cricketer also picked 337 wickets in 271 ODIs. In Tests, he represented India 132 times. Kumble is also one of just three bowlers to claim all 10 wickets in an innings. He reached the milestone during a match against Pakistan in February 1999.
Anil Kumble’s historic 600th Test dismissal came in the first innings when he sent Andrew Symonds back to the dressing room. On a short-pitched delivery outside the off stump, Symonds attempted to play a shot but he ended up producing a thick edge and Rahul Dravid completed the catch. Symonds scored 66.
Anil Kumble finished the first innings with figures of 2/42 in 12 overs. Shaun Tait was Anil Kumble’s other dismissal in the first innings. Responding to India’s first-innings total of 330, the hosts managed to reach 212.
RP Singh was India’s star performer with the ball having bagged four wickets in the first innings. Apart from Kumble, Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma picked up two wickets each in the first innings.
India posted a total of 294 in the second innings setting up a target of 413 for Australia. Anil Kumble scalped two more wickets in the second innings and played a key role in India’s win against Australia in Perth.
Irfan Pathan claimed three wickets as the Aussies lost the match by 72 runs.
