Anil Kumble Steps Down As Coach Of India Cricket Team
Anil Kumble resigned soon after India’s defeat to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy as a partnership with Captain Virat Kohli became untenable. In a tenure that lasted barely over a year, Kumble lead India to a successful run, overseeing the team’s hot run in a long home Test season. Kumble led India to a Test series win in West Indies before whitewashing New Zealand and then went on to beat England, Bangladesh, and Australia. They also recorded victories in the accompanying ODI and T20I series to continue their dominance. Most recently, India reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and looked to be heading the right way under Kumble despite their loss in the final.
Right before the Champions Trophy kicked off, the relationship Kohli and Kumble was the major talking point with several media reports stating that things between both had turned sour. Despite Virat Kohli reassuring during the tournament that all was well between him and Kumble, speculations were still rife that there was no love shared between both.As I mentioned before, if something is put in place as a process, I don’t see why people are creating so many speculations about it,” Kohli had said when asked about it in a press conference. It was being widely perceived in the BCCI that after a meeting between India Captain Virat Kohli and Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman – Kohli made it clear that his relationship with the coach had reached a dead end.
Hours after resigning as India coach, Anil Kumble said he was “informed for the first time on Monday by the BCCI that the captain had reservations with my style and about my continuing as head coach”. While stating that the cricket advisory committee (CAC) charged with deciding on who will be coach had backed him for the job, Kumble said: “it was apparent the partnership with Kohli was untenable, and I, therefore, believe it is best for me to move on”.
The BCCI had received six applications including that of Kumble for the fresh interview process of Indian coach. Kumble still remained the first choice for the head coach position going forward and had the full backing of the CAC. However, given the current relations, it is understood that the CAC did not meet Kumble at all after it was asked by the BCCI to make the final decision in the matter. Kumble confirmed he had the CAC’s backing in his statement, which began: “I am honored by the confidence reposed in me by the CAC, in asking me to continue as head coach.”
The BCCI will now be looking to appoint a new coach soon as India has a long season ahead of them. The BCCI said in a statement that MV Sridhar will travel to the Caribbean to “supervise the team management”, while batting coach Sanjay Bangar and fielding coach R Sridhar will continue in their roles.
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