Anil Kumble’s withdrawal as the head coach for team india despite a successful year at the wheel will be regarded as a achievement for player power in Indian cricket, according to several former captains.
The country’s board took a chance last year by putting their confidence in former captain Kumble, who had no real coaching experience and was not even on the original list of candidates.
The former spinner, however, forged a constructive partnership with skipper Virat Kohli as India bagged 12 victories in 17 test matches and reached the final of the Champions Trophy.
But the differences that were forming beneath the surface of their seemingly pleasant association were becoming more visible as his tenure progressed.
Kumble, whose original contract had been extended to supervise the team’s tour of West Indies this month, stepped down on Tuesday, and the reason he gave for it was a breakdown in relations with his skipper.
“…it was apparent that the partnership was untenable, and I therefore believe it is best for me to move on,” the 46-year-old Kumble wrote in a Twitter message posted on Tuesday.
Kumble, who is India’s highest test wicket-taker, added that he was surprised by Kohli’s reservations over his style of coaching.
“I see the coach’s role akin to ‘holding a mirror’ to drive self-improvement in the team’s interest,” wrote Kumble, who may not be as expressive as Kohli but is perceived as equally forceful.
Former captain Sunil Gavaskar was critical of the circumstances that led to Kumble’s demise.
“So you want softies. You want somebody to just tell you, ‘ok boys, don’t practice today because you guys are not feeling well, ok take a holiday, go shopping’. You want that kind of a person,” Gavaskar told a local channel.
“If any of the players are complaining, I feel those players are the ones who should be left out of the team,” he added.
