Ramachandra Guha throws light on Virat Kohli-Anil Kumble rift

The former member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) for the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Ramachandra Guha has made some startling revelations in his latest column for the Telegraph.

Spread over months, the fiasco of Kohli-Kumble had further grabbed the headlines as former cricketers also weighed in on the speculations before the then head coach tendered his resignation to move on.

“The unwisdom of that decision was masked when India played at home, against weak opposition. But it can no longer be concealed,” Guha wrote in his write-up for the Telegraph.

Kumble, Guha resignations:

The famous cricket historian Guha has also lambasted the Indian cricket as he has further resigned as a chairman of the CoA in June 2017, and Kumble tendered his resignation while terming it an ‘untenable’ in terms of partnership with the batting mainstay.

Kumble’s one-year tenure was extended:

Earlier, Bangalore-base Kumble was bound to be with the team until the culmination of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Cricket Administration Committee (CAC) which included Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman were the one who had asked Kumble to extend the services for the national team before Shashtri was preferred over Tom Moody.

“…were intimidated by the Indian captain into subordinating the institution to the individual.” Guha added.

Pertinently, Kumble who reapplied for the post was asked to extend the services to which he equally accepted.

In 2016, Kumble was appointed as the chief coach of for one year.

Guha’s major comments:

There was some break regarding the writing on the Kumble-Kohli saga. However, Guha’s column revealed Team India skipper Virat Kohli has only seen Kumble as a ‘cricketer’ and ‘character’ which according to the historian’s speculation has become an ultimate reason of the professionals parting the ways.

“Kumble alone is in the Kohli league as a cricketer and a character. That perhaps is why they clashed, and that perhaps is why Kumble had to go,” Guha asserted.

Guha hinted that the similar sort of achievements would have been a major reason for Kumble staying away from the team while posing a major question for Shastri regarding the achievement.

Tussle and the power:

Reiterating about the infamous tussle, Guha added the inferiority regarding no experience in terms of coaching had been the sole reason for Kumble’s exit from the team management.

“But why was he replaced by someone so strikingly inferior, in character and cricketing achievement, to the team’s captain? A person with no coaching experience besides?,” Guha further wrote.

Guha responded of his own that Kohli has emerged as the boss before the administration while remarking there is has been the precarious situation in the Indian cricket.

“Like the BCCI’s legal counsel and the BCCI’s CEO, the chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators surrendered his liberties and his independence when confronted by the force of Kohli’s personality. As did the so-called Cricket Selection Committee,” Guha said.

Moreover, the veteran leg-spinner Kumble was succeeded by former Indian batsman Ravi Shastri as a team coach on July 11, who has already served as the Team Director for the Team India in 2015.

Concluding, Guha wants the change in the approach of the administration owing to the long-term plan.

In my opinion, such blunders are not supposed to yield the desired results as the timid approach could further prove to be a major dent for the professionals in the foreseeable future like what happened with the 47-year-old Kumble.

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