INDIA SKIPPER ANIL KUMBLE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT

India skipper Anil Kumble announced his retirement after the third test against Australia, quitting the game at his favourite Ferozshah Kotla ground.

The 38-year-old is test cricket's third-highest test wickettaker with 619 wickets, trailing only Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia's retired Shane Warne."It was a very tough decision, especially when you have performed for 18 years and been so competitive," he said at the presentation ceremony after the match had ended in a draw.

"But the body helped me make the decision. This injury also helped."

Kumble had suffered a deep cut in his left little finger which needed 11 stitches during the match."I had already decided to leave after this series, but decided once I realised I won't be 100 percent for Nagpur (fourth test)."The spin bowler has been the team's bowling lynchpin for almost two decades, and the architect of India's dominance on slow home pitches, relying more on subtle variations than sharp turn.He has also taken 337 wickets from 271 one-day internationals and has already quit the shorter form of the game.Wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the limited-overs captain and Kumble's deputy, is favoured to take over the job.

Kumble, who has played 132 tests, had been facing mounting questions over his future and missed the second test against the Aussies in Mohali due to a shoulder injury.He also suffered a finger injury in the current test, which ends in Delhi on Sunday, and only returned to bowl after having 11 stitches.

In 1999, Kumble became only the second bowler in test cricket to claim all 10 wickets in an innings, emulating England's Jim Laker at the same Ferozshah Kotla ground. Kumble's retirement comes after former skipper Saurav Ganguly announced the current Australia test series would be his last.The team's senior cricketers have come under increasing pressure with domestic media engaged in frenzied debate whether they should step aside to help blood younger players.

The fourth and final test starts in Nagpur on Nov. 6.