| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
New Delhi: Announcing his resignation as head coach of the Indian cricket team, Anil Kumble late Tuesday night said he was informed about the reservations captain Virat Kohli had with his working style “for the first time yesterday”. But those in the know say communication lines between the two had more or less snapped during the past few months.
“While trying to understand the differences between the captain and coach, we came to know that the two, for the last few months, mostly spoke in monosyllables,” a BCCI source told The Indian Express.
In a statement, Kumble said he was “surprised” by Kohli’s “reservations” since he had “always respected the role boundaries between captain and coach”.
Kumble says he is surprised by Kohli’s reservations
The BCCI, in a press release, had said that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) -- comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman -- had endorsed an extension to Kumble’s tenure. What wasn’t mentioned in the official statement was a rider.
Kumble, in his statement, also mentioned the last-minute truce efforts. “Though the BCCI attempted to resolve the misunderstandings between the captain and me, it was apparent that the partnership was untenable, and I therefore believe it is best for me to move on,” he stated.
It is also learnt that the BCCI is planning to extend the deadline for the application of the coach’s job. “With the Sri Lanka tour still a month away, we will ask for more applications. The CAC will meet the applicants and take a final call,” said the source.
Kumble’s year-long contract as India coach had expired at the end of the Champions Trophy. However, he was asked to stay on for the West Indies tour. While the Indian team boarded the flight to Barbados, Kumble decided to stay back in London for the ICC Annual Conference as he is the chairman of the Cricket Committee.
