The Kohli-Kumble episode could have been handled better: Vikram Rathore

Virat Kohli has been widely blamed for Anil Kumble’s resignation. The saga has been going on for a long time now and the fans are still at it. There have been rumours flying around about certain incidents which show that Kohli’s ego ignited the entire incident which has resulted in a sort of turmoil in Indian cricket.

The blame game has been going on for a while and Indian team is suffering from the same. Vikram Rathore the former Indian selector who worked with Team India during their last West Indies tour thinks that this needs to stop. Rathore backed the Indian skipper on the matter. He cited the fact that any coach and captain can have a problem and it is totally normal.

On the controversy

On the ongoing controversy, Rathore thinks that the team management and the BCCI have not handled it well. It is understandable that Kohli had a problem with the coach and he spoke his mind. There is nothing wrong in doing that.

“You can’t make a villain out of Kohli after Kumble resigned from head coach position because the captain spoke his mind. He just expressed his thoughts over Kumble’s style of working and that snowballed into a huge controversy. This is after all between the two best players. The episode could have been handled better. There was a difference of opinion,” Rathore was quoted as saying by TOI.

The former Indian cricketer also said that the Indian coaches have been very successful lately and hence the next coach also should be an Indian. This is quite valid as Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble both had successful stints with the team.

“The Indian coaches have been doing well with the team. Before Kumble came, Ravi Shastri did a good job with the team. Even Kumble’s record as a coach was impeccable. Therefore, it’s important to continue with an Indian coach,” he added.

On his stint with the Indian team

This controversy seems to be going on forever and someone needs to put an end to it. According to Rathore, Kumble and Kohli were fine during his stint with the Indian team. There was nothing wrong then but he also stated that those were the early days.

“This is not the first time that a spat between coach and captain has happened. I was part of the West Indies tour last where I saw both Kohli and Kumble working together. I didn’t see anything then but it was early days,” he concluded.