The CAC will not consult Virat Kohli prior to appointing a new coach

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman has unanimously decided to not consult skipper Virat Kohli before appointing the new Indian coach. The CAC, in June last year, chose Kumble over the likes of Ravi Shastri and Tom Moody and the legendary leg-spinner totally justified the decision by guiding the team brilliantly throughout his tenure.

However, following the Virat Kohli-Anil Kumble saga, an anguished CAC panel decided not to confer the captain since Kumble was not in contention anymore. The former coach stepped down from the helm following weeks of speculation in the media. The veteran leggie was offered an extension till the Caribbean tour starting June 23 but refused to take it after acrimoniously forfeiting his post.

The saga

Kumble took over team duties from director Ravi Shastri last year. He has helped India attain impeccable form, guiding the Men in Blue through a very successful home season. India lost just one bilateral series under him. Both the CAC and BCCI had tried to broker peace but the relationship between the two was beyond repairs with Kohli not being happy with Kumble’s “intimidating” and “headmasterly” style of coaching. Thus, the “untenable” differences with the skipper led to the coach’s resignation from the post.

According to India Express, A BCCI spokesperson said, “They have made it clear that while choosing the next coach, they may not consult the team or captain.”

He further added, “They have made their views clear. Let’s see how to go about it.”

BCCI in the interim has invited more applications for the post of the head coach to provide CAC with a wide range of options for picking a suitable candidate. Another 7-10 days may be given for the fresh applications so that other interested candidates with relevant qualification and stature can apply. The Men in Blue, on the other hand, have already landed at West Indies without a coach.