Anil Kumble has resigned as the Head Coach of Indian cricket team. He was to travel with the Indian team for the limited-overs series against West Indies but Kumble stayed in London to attend ICC meeting. Later, it was confirmed that Kumble decided not to continue the post. The news has come on the same day, which confirms that Kumble had already been delivered about the decision to BCCI. His decision has come just a day after India lost ICC Champions Trophy final against Pakistan.
Kumble, who was given an extension as the Head Coach for the series against West Indies, was given the role on June 23, 2016, for a period one one year, after he emerged out as the winner out of 57 short-listed candidates by BCCI.
This year as well, BCCI followed the same process and invited applications for the post and on the same day, a news of a rift between captain and coach came out of backroom staff just when India was preparing for Champions Trophy.
The news got air when the difference was seen ahead of the practice game against Bangladesh, where Virat Kohli left a net session as soon as Kumble arrived.
Team India had a good run in Champions Trophy but a win in final could have made pressure on BCCI to sort out differences between Kumble and Kohli and a loss in final meant that BCCI didn’t show interest in this, and delivered its message to Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).
As a result, CAC didn’t have any meeting with Kumble after Kohli met CAC and Amitabh Choudhary, which was a clear message for Kumble and he resigned within 24 hours of news coming in.
Ironically, India tour of West Indies in 2016 was his first stint as Head Coach of Indian cricket team and this year, he resigned from the post just a few days ahead when India will play limited overs series against West Indies.
Under Kumble, India played 17 Test matches out of which they lost only Test against Australia in Pune. India won both the ODI series that India played under him but faced a loss one of the two T20Is against West Indies in the USA, with the second one being washed out. Though India won the home T20I series against England.
As per reports, BCCI has received a total of six applications for the new Head Coach and Virender Sehwag is the front runner to don a new hat as it was Virat Kohli himself who asked the former aggressive batsman to be in the race for the position.
The Indian team will be sans any Head Coach for the West Indies series as the board announcing new coach within two days looks highly unlikely.