Younger Members Including Virat Kohli Felt Intimidated By Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai In His Book "Not Just A Night-Watchman — My Innings In The BCCI"
Updated - 05 Apr 2022, 03:09 PM
The spat between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble as captain and coach of the Indian cricket team is one of the most controversial chapters of Indian cricket. The former Indian skipper had vocally informed about the then Indian team and the players were not happy with the coaching style of Kumble.
Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Vinod Rai who worked closely with the Indian team spoke about their rift in his book Not Just a Nightwatchman — My Innings in the BCCI.
Rai on Super Court’s assurance worked took charge of the Indian cricket team in the wake of the IPL controversy in 2015 forcing the abandonment of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for two years. Rai wrote about his conversation with Virat Kohli which had the sentiment of the entire cricket team against the then coach Kumble.
Virat Kohli Revealed That The Team Was Not Happy With Anil Kumble: Vinod Rai
“In my conversations with the captain and team management, it was conveyed that Kumble was too much of a disciplinarian and hence the team members were not too happy with him. I had spoken to Virat Kohli on the issue and he did mention that the younger members of the team felt intimidated by the way he worked with them,” Rai writes in the book.
Anil Kumble, on his behalf, said that he worked for the welfare of the team and his success during that period should be given more importance than his rift with Kohli.
“He felt he had been unfairly treated and a captain or team should not be given so much importance. It was the duty of the coach to bring discipline and professionalism into the team and as a senior, his views should have been respected by the players,” Rai wrote on Kumble.
Anil Kumble had stepped down as the coach of Indian cricket after they lost to Pakistan in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
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BCCI Vinod Rai Virat Kohli
