Best possible successor to Kumble will be appointed before Sri Lanka tour: Rajiv Shukla

Anil Kumble stepped down as India coach on Tuesday despite getting an extension for the imminent Caribbean tour. In a statement issued after his resignation, Kumble said that he was told about the captain’s reservations on his methods and continuation at the helm prompted him to step aside.

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) tried to make things work between Kumble and Kohli as clearly, both produced great results in tandem in the last year. But the cracks had already become too wide and Kumble termed the relationship with the captain as ‘untenable’. The CAC, having already invited applications for the head coach position, will now have to select a suitable candidate to succeed the legendary Anil Kumble. Senior BCCI official Rajiv Shukla said that BCCI and the CAC did the best to level out the differences between both parties but failed to get a positive result.

“BCCI tried its level best to resolve the issue. The acting secretary, the CEO, they discussed the matter with Kumble and Kohli in great detail, the board consulted the Chairman of the COA (Vinod Rai) also,” Shukla told reporters in New Delhi.

“They tried to resolve the issues but eventually no outcome could be found out and Kumble decided to move on,” he added.

New coach before Sri Lanka tour

India are in the West Indies presently for a 5-match ODI series and a T20 international. MV Sridhar will supervise the Indian team during the tour. The squad will then travel to Sri Lanka for a full tour comprising of 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and a solitary T20. Rajiv Shukla was sure that a new coach will be appointed prior to the Sri Lanka tour.

“BCCI wishes Kumble best for the future. Meanwhile, BCCI has decided to search further for the coach. Before the Sri Lanka tour, the coach will be appointed and it will be the best coach for India,” said Shukla.

When asked what the real reason for the differences between the coach and the captain was, Shukla played it down by giving a diplomatic answer.

“As I said, sometimes there are differences of opinion and BCCI tried its level best to resolve the whole issue but sometimes things don’t work. Sometimes it happens that you can’t get along with someone.

“It is not that captain is given all the importance. We give importance to everybody. There are differences sometimes. They are also human beings,” Shukla added.

According to reports, it was not just Kohli who had problems with Kumble as a section of the team was also disconsolate on his headmasterly approach. Kohli reportedly had mentioned that his approach intimidated a few players.

India will begin their Caribbean tour on June 23 when they take on the West Indies at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad to play the first of the 5 ODIs.