Wednesday, Jun 21, 2017

Dubai: The coach-captain saga in Indian cricket, as witnessed from close quarters during the ICC Champions Trophy, revealed the ineptitude of the Indian board in such form of crisis management.

Despite media reports about an ongoing rift between Indian team coach Anil Kumble and captain Virat Kohli, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) kept denying the news. Kohli even went on to tell the media to stop speculating about such stories and that his working relationship with Kumble was good.

Both BCCI and Kohli were proved to be lying about the breakdown in relationship with the coach. Kumble, in his resignation letter clearly stated that “BCCI attempted to resolve the misunderstandings, but it was apparent the partnership was untenable; and therefore I believe it is best for me to move on.”

This has exposed BCCI’s mismanagement of the issue. In all the press conferences, Kohli, not really known for his ability to hide his emotions, was at his worst. The pressure of differences with the coach was visible and he did display it both on and off the field.

In the final when Pakistan was piling up runs, Kohli seemed to have lost control over his emotions — it was Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was seen setting the field at times. With no faith in Kumble whom Kohli would have liked to look up to for guidance on how to stem the run flow, India lost not only to Sri Lanka but also to Pakistan to end their dominance in Asian cricket.

The unprofessional approach of the BCCI was apparent with the poor timing with which they advertised for a new coach during the Champions Trophy. Despite Kumble proving to be successful and taking the team to No. 1 Test ranking, they called for fresh applications for the coach’s post in the midst of a high-profile tournament. BCCI said they were following normal procedure of appointing a coach and Kohli in his first press conference on arrival in London said: “With Kumble’s term being one year, the procedure is being followed in the same manner. I don’t see anything very different from what has happened in the past. That is something the board has recognised.”

Both BCCI and Kohli were not being truthful when they decided not to extend Kumble’s term and call for a new coach in response to demands from some players.

While all other teams’ coaches were addressing the media, Kumble was never seen even during net practice. The three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) made up of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman decided not to yield to players’ demand and extended Kumble’s term till the West Indies tour, hoping differences would be settled between Kumble and Kohli. Kohli had issued an ultimatum to BCCI and the CAC that it had to be either him or Kumble in their respective roles and Team India was forced to fly out for the West Indies series without a head coach.

The CAC is now upset with the outcome and wants players never to be given the right to decide the way a coach must function. Under these circumstances, Virender Sehwag may be chosen as the next coach and he will likely be equally strict like Kumble.

Australia’s Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, who has coached Pakistan and Bangladesh, former India manager and current Afghanistan coach Lalchand Rajput and ex-paceman Dodda Ganesh are also in the fray. Whoever becomes the next coach, the question is: will BCCI continue toeing Team India’s superstars’ demands or back the next coach and his approach?.

By K.R. Nayar Chief Cricket Writer

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