Anil Kumble has decided to step down from the office of India’s cricket coach. He has had a rift with Captain Virat Kohli. It is reminiscent of the longstanding rift between Coach Greg Chappel and Captain Sourav Ganguly. Such stalwarts of Indian cricket as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman selected Kumble and even gave him an extension. How did the bitterness arrive? The coach may have differences of opinion with some members of the team but there should be implicit trust between the captain and the coach for great performances on the field. In the circumstances of there being lack of trust between the captain and the coach, the coach has eventually to bow out. The Indian Cricket Board is largely responsible for the unseemly conflict. It decided to choose Kumble for the office of coach in place of the vastly popular Ravi Shastri. That sowed the seeds of discontent. The team manager, it has to be borne in mind, plays a vital role in bringing about good understanding between the skipper and the coach.
It seems that not merely Kohli but also other players of the Indian team had grievances against the way Kumble functioned. Kohli for his part should learn how to get along with the new coach to be appointed. He cannot go on adopting an aggressive attitude. The captain is the sheet anchor of the Indian team and should know his responsibilities. At the same time the new coach should learn from the Kumble episode while not being puttee in the hands of the captain.
