Though Anil Kumble’s tenure ran out at the end of the Champions Trophy, he was expected to be with the team on their tour to the West Indies © Getty Images
Anil Kumble has stepped down as India coach, four days before the limited-overs tour of the Caribbean begins. Kumble’s one-year contract ran out at the end of the Champions Trophy – India played the final on Sunday – but it was understood that he would remain India’s coach for the West Indies tour while the board finalised who would be in charge going forward.
Despite a successful 2016-17 season under Kumble, the BCCI had advertised for fresh interviews for the head coach’s position. In large part, this is thought to be because the board was concerned by player feedback on Kumble: some of them, including the captain Virat Kohli, said they were uncomfortable with the “intimidating” style of Kumble’s man management.
It is understood that, on Monday, before Kohli departed for the Caribbean he met the BCCI top brass along with Kumble in London. The meeting was also attended by BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary, board chief executive officer Rahul Johri and MV Sridhar, general manager of crickt operations. The meeting was necessitated after the three-member cricket advisory committee (CAC) charged with finalising who will be coach informed the BCCI that it had failed to resolve the impasse between Kohli and Kumble.
Considering it was the CAC, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, that had recommended and shortlisted Kumble as the final choice last year, it still felt he remained the first choice for the head coach position going forward. The BCCI had received six applications including that of Kumble for the fresh interview process. It is understood that the CAC did not meet Kumble at all after it was asked by the BCCI to make the final choice. “The differences seem irreparable,” a board official, who is privy to the discussions, said. He agreed that Kohli was not ready to take a step back.
Once the CAC realised the relationship was beyond repair, it asked the BCCI to take the negotiations process forward. “It was not a pleasant meeting,” the board official, who has knowledge of Monday’s meeting, said. According to this official Kohli remained “adamant” about his stand which might have helped Kumble make up his mind.
Although the Indian squad left for the Caribbean early on Monday morning, Kumble stayed back in London. As chairman of the ICC’s cricket committee he is attending the chief executives committee meeting in London. “The CAC is likely to have told BCCI that the differences were not cricketing related but more of a personal nature. If he were to stick on, it would be very awkward on Anil’s part. It is not good to handle someone as big as Anil in this manner.”
Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo