With the ICC Champions Trophy right around the corner, all teams seem to be preparing in full swing but there is supposedly a rift between Team India captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble which is grabbing all the headlines.Reports in the media agency DNA stated that Team India coach Anil Kumble has been leaking one-on-one talks between cricketers with some members of media thereby passing confidential information to a selected group of individuals about skipper Virat Kohli and co.
“We’ve been told that there is a WhatsApp group created by Kumble of his few trusted media friends and few confidential talks between him and senior players were leaked through that”, DNA reported.
Anil Kumble took charge of Indian Team after Team Director Ravi Shastri left the position. Kumble was appointed the job for a year and his contract ends at the end of the ICC Champions Trophy in England. Kumble enjoyed a very good run having lost just 1 series under him. In spite of this BCCI invited applications for the position of head coach of the team instead of offering an extension to Anil Kumble.
“At this highest level, a team needs a good man manager and not a great name. We’ve seen how a cricketing great like Greg Chappell literally created a friction in Team India during his tenure. We certainly don’t want that kind of situation and I hope the three-member CAC – Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS Laxman – would consider all these things before taking a final call,” said a BCCI official before saying, “Kohli and Kumble are both strong personalities and Indian cricket fans would certainly not want a situation like the old.”
It was earlier reported that Kohli and Kumble were not on the same page over selecting Kuldeep Yadav in playing XI as Kohli shot down the idea. Kuldeep went on to make debut in the fourth test as Rahane led the team instead of an injured Kohli who was injured in the third test.
“This may or may not be the reason. But we believe the people in the corridors of power have been told that Kumble is overbearing and doesn’t give freedom to the players. It’s sad that aspersions are cast on a legend of Indian cricket,” a BCCI official had earlier told The Hindu.
There were also reports that Kohli was unsure of Kumble as Team India coach.
“He would throw a word or two about what he thought about the new coach. You know, nothing bad, but there was enough there to realize he wasn’t sure or had some doubts. Kohli would have loved to have a team atmosphere like the one MS Dhoni had,” Indian Express quoted a source close to Indian team contingent as saying.
“It’s just not the captain alone. A few months back, a bowler landed at the national cricket academy in Bangalore. Rest, recuperation and some fitness work were on his mind. Some bit of bowling too. He was told he had to put in hours of bowling, get Test-match fit. He wasn’t initially keen but was told he had no choice. For what it’s worth, his bowling improved at the end of the stint. Sometimes, as a coach, you have to tread on fragile egos, be sensitive. A couple of players felt Kumble wasn’t,” added the same report.
