Nagpur, Nov 7: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave farewell honours to four cricket greats of the country.

Leg spinner Anil Kumble quit as skipper this week while former skipper and batsman Saurav Ganguly will hang up his boots at the end of the ongoing fourth Test against Australia.

The BCCI felicitated Sachin Tendulkar and V. V. S. Laxman for their milestones of becoming highest run getter in Test cricket and for having completed playing of 100 Tests respectively.

The BCCI felicitated them at a function in Nagpur on Thursday.

Paying tributes to the contribution of his illustrious colleagues, ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar said: " I would like to congratulate Anil Kumble, Saurav Ganguly and V. V. S. Laxman for their contribution to cricket."

Saurav Ganguly, the stylish southpaw who gave India many memorable opening stands in partnership with Tendulkar was equally effusive in praise for the players with whom he shared the dressing room for more than a decade.

"It has been a long journey for me to see some of the names and share the dressing room with the boys who have been great ambassadors of the game. To share the dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, V. V. S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid was a dream come true," said Ganguly.

Kumble choose the occasion to instill the team members with the spirit of victory.

"To all the other members of the team, you have great career ahead of you, go out there and enjoy and win the ongoing Test series against Australia, which will be decided on the next four days, that will be the greatest gift," said Kumble.

The Board also felicitated master blaster Tendulkar, for becoming the first batsman in Test cricket to score more than 12000 runs.

The stylish Hyderabadi and nemesis of the Aussies, V. V. S. Laxman was honoured for playing his 100 Test match. (ANI)