Anil Kumble to become ICC Cricket Hall of Famer

Anil Kumble, India's leading wicket-taker in Tests and ODIs, will be inducted in to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Kumble will become only the fourth Indian after Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Bishan Singh Bedi to grab this honour.

Kumble's induction will happen at Melbourne on Sunday, where India take on South Africa in their World Cup encounter. As part of the induction, Kumble will receive a commemorative cap in between innings break of the match.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson congratulated Kumble on his induction. "Anil was an impressive international cricket player, a well-respected opponent, a great statesman for his country and a role model for millions of aspiring cricketers. He played hard but within the spirit of the game. His performance and record speak volumes for his tenacity, dedication, endurance and service to the game."

Speaking about it, Kumble said, "It's an honour to be inducted in to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Indeed, it will be a great moment of pride to get it in the work of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I deem it as a great privilege to join the list of great cricketing luminaries."

"The process for the choice of players in to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame started last year when the ICC Chairman invited all the living ICC Cricket Hall of Famers to send their nominations. The ICC Nominations Committee reduced the long-list to ten men's and women's cricketers. The short-list was then sent to the Voting Academy, which included representatives of all the ten Full Members, media representatives from all the ten Full Members, Associate & Affiliate Member, women's cricket and FICA representatives as well as living ICC Hall of Famers. The ICC collated the nominations and forwarded the ballot papers to the auditors who provided the final results," said an ICC media release.