'I have total respect for Kumble as a cricketer' - Kohli
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How the Kohli-Kumble saga played out
India captain Virat Kohli, while speaking of the respect the team has
for Anil Kumble's achievements as a cricketer, has offered little about the events that led to
Kumble's resignation as head coach on Tuesday, three days before the start of
the limited-overs series in the West Indies.
"Anil bhai has
expressed his views and taken a decision to step out," Kohli said at a
media briefing in Port-of-Spain, where India play the first ODI against West
Indies on Friday. "We all respect that decision. It is something that has
happened right after the tournament (Champions Trophy)."
Even
though he was pressed to reveal the differences with Kumble, Kohli maintained
that he could not break the culture of not divulging dressing room details in
public. "I've had 11 press conferences that have happened during the
Champions Trophy... We have created a culture over the last three-four years
that whatever happens in the change room, we've tried to maintain the sanctity
of the change room throughout," he said. "That is what the whole team
believes in. For us that is paramount. I've always respected that and we have
continued to maintain that as well."
While stepping down as head coach Kumble spoke about the reservations Kohli
had with him, but Kohli refused to be drawn into the issue. "It's his
opinion, his point of view which I respect," Kohli said about Kumble,
India's leading wicket taker in Tests and ODIs, going public with the
differences between the two. "I have total respect for him as a cricketer and what he has achieved for the nation. All the
years that he has played. There's no taking away that aspect of him at all. And
we all respect him totally."
On being
asked whether Kumble's approach affected the team (negatively), Kohli didn't
give a direct reply. "Like I said, for me what's most important is to
maintain the sanctity of the change room and what happens in the change room is
something that's very sacred and private to all of us, and something that I
would not express in details in a public scenario. As I said, his point of view
is out there and we respect that decision."
Hours after resigning as India coach, Kumble said he had been
informed for the first time on the same day by the BCCI that "the captain
had reservations with my style and about my continuing as head coach".
Kumble, whose contract ended with the Champions Trophy but had been given an
extension to take the team to the West Indies, termed his working relationship with
Kohli 'untenable'. He announced his resignation while the squad was flying to
the Caribbean.
Two days
before the Champions Trophy had kicked off in England, it emerged in the media
that India captain Kohli had told BCCI officials that some players were
uncomfortable with the "intimidating" style of Kumble's man
management. As a result, despite India's success in Kumble's year in charge,
during which the team climbed to No.1 in the Test rankings, the board
advertised for fresh interviews for the head coach's position instead of
extending his contract. Incidentally, Kumble did reapply for the job then.