Madan Lal backs Anil Kumble's decision to step down as team India coach

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has come out in support of the former Indian coach Anil Kumble. He backed the decision taken by Kumble to abruptly step down as the head coach of the Indian team. Kumble later addressed the media and fans on the social media with a note wherein he wrote about his decision to do so. He revealed that the Indian captain Virat Kohli was having issues with the way he handled the team.

Hence, in order to see a better balance for the team, he decided to step down from the position. Apparently, the players of the team India did not like the overpowering attitude of Anil Kumble as the coach. As per the recent quotes in the India Today, Madan Lal has slammed the critics of Kumble saying that the Indian team expects a quiet coach. He was in full support of Kumble and said that coach deserves respect from the players in the dressing room.

“I think Anil Kumble took the correct decision by stepping down because if you don’t have the respect of the players in the dressing room then there’s no point in coaching the team,” Madan Lal quoted.

On what to expect next

He went on to take a subtle dig at the management saying that the next coach must work quietly else he will also face similar crisis like Kumble did during his tenure. Currently, the likes of Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, and Richard Pybus are the top contenders for the post of India’s coach. Some reports even suggest that Ravi Shastri might have an outside chance as well.

“When a coach leaves his post the successor gets to learn a lot from him. Indian team needs a coach who keeps quiet and stays behind the scenes while doing his job. If Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody don’t work silently then they will suffer the same fate as Kumble. All the those who have coached India so far have you heard any complaints from Sanjay Bangar, John Wright or Gary Kirsten?,” Lal noted.

Madan Lal further mentioned that the captain is always more powerful than the coach. Hence, the coach has to be in the good books of the captain. He rightly cited that the foreign coaches often end up doing this.

“I always feel that the Indian captain is the most powerful person in the team. The coach is never as powerful as the captain. The coach only gives his opinion and then stands back to let the captain do his job. Over the years the foreign coaches who have come into the Indian team have never done anything to upset the captain, except for maybe Greg Chappell,” Lal noted further.

Recalling his stint as the coach

Lastly, he recalled that he never saw any player being scared of him in the dressing room when he was in-charge of the Indian team during 1996-97. He wants the coach to have more powers otherwise they will all end up having the same fate as Kumble faced.

“You have to give more power to the coach. Otherwise things will remain as bad as this. Our Indian team is doing well nowadays so we have to be more professional in our approach. Coach should also have the power to talk directly to the selectors and his opinions must be taken into account,” Lal said.

“Nobody was ever scared of me in the Indian team. The only mistake that I made when I was in the man-management part,” Lal conceded.