Anil Kumble has the skills and the goodwill to be a coach. But it is a job that entails scrutiny of the microscopic kind and Kumble, for now, seems prepared for it. In his tribute to Kumble in our website, sportstarlive.com, Chappell used the word ‘selfless’ and if Kumble can bequeath the same attitude to the Indian team,where overall performance rides over individual glory, the squad and its vast legion of fans, would be well-served.
He stepped in a tough late but just ahead the deadline for candidates seeking appointment as the India team’s cricket coach Yet, the moment new leaked about Anil Kumble evincing interest in the critic post, there was a sharp dip in the hype about Ravi Shastri getting second stint in a position, which he earlier handled well under the tag of the team director.
Kumble is a legend while Shastri, in his heyday during the 1980s, was a competitive cricketer and an all-rounder of merit. But in terms of sheer stature and aura, Kumble has the edge and it was but inevitable that the Advisory Committee, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V. V. S. Laxman, would eventually pick the Karnataka man, not because he was an old team-mate but obviously due to the merits and gravitas he brings to the table.
THE LEANING TOWARDS the coach’s slot occurred to Kumble recently and he did bounce the idea off his family and his close buddy, former India spearhead Javagal Srinath. Once the decision was made, Kumble worked on a detailed blue-print for the Indian team, envisaging both short-term and long-term goals. His obvious signpost was a tenure that perhaps culminates with the 2019 World Cup. His application was the result of a well thought out move and it fitted into what he has done over the years, ever since he mothballed his whites and the blue-shade.
After retiring from international cricket in 2008, Kumble has stayed in touch with the game, be it playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore or mentoring the squad, a role he did later with Mumbai Indians. He did a stint as the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association and for a while was also the National Cricket Academy’s chairman. Kumble is also the chairman of the ICC’s Technical Committee.
This story is from the July 9, 2016 edition of Sportstar.
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This story is from the July 9, 2016 edition of Sportstar.
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