Lalchand Rajput boasts about his credentials, unhappy with Kumble-Kohli fiasco

ICC World T20 2007 winning coach, Lalchand Rajput, recently stated his unhappiness over the entire Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli fiasco and expressed that the board should look at credentials for coaching rather than merit based on stature. Rajput then enlisted his achievements as a coach and believes that he has done exceptionally well whenever he was provided with an opportunity with any team.

Rajput was a part of the World Cup-winning squad of 2007 when India won the inaugural edition of the ICC World T20, which they won after defeating their arch-rivals Pakistan in a nail-biting finish. Looking at the recent past, much had been talked about the rifts in the Indian side between the players and the coach. The hard taskmaster attitude of Kumble did not go down well with the players and Virat Kohli requested a change in personnel in the long term plans.

Anil Kumble, after being chosen again by the CAC, resigned from the post and tweeted his resignation letter, stating that it would be best he moves on, citing the reservations about him by the captain. On the other hand, Virat Kohli, yesterday, in the recent press conference stressed on the fact that what happens in the dressing shall always remain there. Looking at these developments, Rajput isn’t happy with the way a legend like Kumble was treated.

“It’s not a good sign. It doesn’t augur well because Anil Kumble has played so much cricket and given yeoman service, We actually don’t know what has happened, so it is wrong on my part to comment on that aspect. Whatever has happened, it has not gone well for Anil Kumble” said Rajput according to PTI. He then went on to augment about the fact that coaching requires qualifications and experience but should not be handed over based on achievements as a player.

Rajput boasts about his credentials, slams BCCI

“As a coach, you have to go through certain qualifications. And I have passed those, because level three was the highest grade (in my time) and I was the first in India to achieve it, If you play 100 Test matches, that does not mean you become a good coach. Coaching and playing cricket are totally different. If you look at South Africa, England and Australia, their coaches need to have minimum coaching qualifications,” continued Lalchand Rajput. He then enlisted his credentials pertaining to coaching with various teams such as India-A, India U19 and Afghanistan.

“I feel that BCCI should also look at the coaching aspect of a candidate. That is what the coach brings to the table, My record says I have done well. Then I was given the (India) A team and in all the four tours I have done well. Then I was given U-19 and we have won all the five overseas tours.” added Lalchand Rajput.

“Now I am the head coach of Afghanistan team for the last one year and you see their progress. We have won most of the series. We are doing exceptionally well. That means I have the coaching credentials. Whichever assignment I had been given, I have done exceptionally well,” claimed the current Afghanistan coach.

He concluded by slamming BCCI for their procedure for selection of personnel for the post. “It’s not right, they had given a deadline, that you should apply before it. It’s not fair asking again for applications once you give a deadline” ended Rajput.