Virat Kohli will have a say in head coach selection, confirms the CoA

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has made it clear that the opinion of the captain of the team will have a major part to play in the selection of the head coach for the Indian team. The CoA believes that taking a decision against the will of the skipper can turn out to be a costly risk as it might destroy the atmosphere in the dressing room. The equation of the team cannot be hampered at any cost.

However, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC)  which comprises of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman is desperately trying to find a fix to the complications between skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Anil Kumble.

According to a source in the CoA, in an interview with Cricketnext, the committee has not involved themselves in the decision making. It is also necessary for Kohli and Kumble to come to a mutual agreement before handing over an extension to Kumble because continuing against the skipper’s wish can lead to disputes inside the team.

“The COA has no role to play in the appointment of the next India coach or in handing Kumble an extension. But, one thing that is clear is that Kohli and Kumble need to be on the same page if Kumble is to get an extension. Otherwise, a situation might arise wherein the players might find it difficult to handle the scenario. Imagine the coach wanting something and the skipper asking the players to do something else. That is a scenario that must be avoided.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee has legends in the form of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman and they will take a call keeping the best interest of Indian cricket on their mind. Also, they are being assisted by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. Hopefully a decision will be reached soon,” the source said.

The next step:

The Cricket Advisory Committee will now hold a meeting with Anil Kumble and hope to resolve the issue as soon as possible. The dilemma needs to be sorted quickly as the team has a five-match ODI series lined up against the West Indies.

The BCCI thinks that it might be a risky bet to dethrone Kumble as his record has been flawless as a coach. “It is not the right thing to do when the man has given the performances expected of him. Yes, he hasn’t yet travelled abroad, but his performance at home has been spotless. No doubt the captain leads the team and he needs to be on the same page as the coach, but then again, the coach has done well and there is no doubting that.”