Just as Team India begin its ICC Champions Trophy 2017 campaign with two emphatic wins in the warm up games and just when things were looking quite optimistic for the team, suddenly clouds of discontent and suspense have enveloped the team. With news coming in that there has been some serious disagreement between coach Anil Kumble and skipper Virat Kohli since the last few months, the Indian team now has to deal with a serious headache.
As per reports creeping in since the last couple of days, captain Virat Kohli apparently spoke to an influential BCCI official, making note of coach Anil Kumble’s high-handed attitude of handling the players and stated that the team wasn’t comfortable under Kumble’s coaching. This comes at a time when the upcoming tournament is supposed to be the former leg spinner’s final assignment with the team, as his contract was valid for a year.
Now that issues have been developing and differences have come to the fore, it shouldn’t be surprising if a new coach joins team India replacing Kumble. Giving his two cents in the matter has been Virat Kohli’s former Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Ray Jennings, who apparently was around even when Kumble led the franchise.
The South African mentioned that at times, Kohli equated himself higher than the game. “People generally don’t like being questioned and their shortcomings pointed out but I knew what I did was for his, and the team’s, well-being,” said Jennings.
Divulging more about Kohli, Jennings said,
“He is a very talented kid but sometimes thinks he is better than the game. I know both of them. Pretty headstrong gentlemen with the conviction of their views. A conflict, I guess, wasn’t going to be surprising.”
“A hard coach can keep pushing and prodding the players of the team but the relationship between the captain and coach has to be good. The trust has to be there. The coach can have issues with the rest of the players but needs to have a smooth relationship with the captain for things to progress. And, as a captain, he has the right to work with people he is comfortable with and I have no complaints,” Jennings concluded.