Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 (IANS): Fifty-year-old K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan is elated after getting the news that he has been selected for the elite panel of ICC umpires.

"This was what I was waiting for long and I knew I would get it and am extremely happy and delighted. I missed out playing for the country as I plied my trade when the country's greatest leg spinner Anil Kumble reigned supreme. We played almost around the same time and hence I failed to play for the country," said the former Kerala skipper.

He played 105 first-class matches for Kerala, starting in 1988-89, and represented the state until 2003-04. In between he played for the India A team against the visiting Steve Waugh led Australian team in 1998.

He joins three other Indians in the elite panel list and is the first Keralite to be in that list.

"Lot of international cricket is on the cards and hopefully I will be in one of that. I knew I would make it as I was given quite a number of opportunities to harness my skills by ICC," added the former leg spinner.