Kumble and the farcical hunt for Team India coach

It goes without saying that former India skipper, Anil Kumble, who is fondly called “Jumbo” by his teammates and recently appointed head coach of Team India, is probably one of the greatest match-winners in Test cricket. And quite possibly, his past credentials as being the most disciplined and demanding professional could well be the most important ingredient to become a successful coach in the future.

Again, there is no question of disagreeing with the choice of India’s three most respected cricket brains — Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman — over picking their very own former teammate as India’s next coach.

The debate is certainly not also about how Ravi Shastri lost out in the race. But it is certainly about the criteria which the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) spelt out to the rest of the candidates. It is about how the BCCI is still being run on an ad hoc basis by anyone and everyone, even at a time when all its officials are under Supreme Court’s scrutiny.

Someone has to ask the BCCI top brass why did they frame the “qualification criteria” for the coach’s post if they had Kumble in mind?

Why did the BCCI ask for international or first-class coaching experience if that was to be compromised in Kumble’s case?

Is it not like the way Britishers used to rule India before 1947: “You show me the face, I will show you the rule?”

Otherwise, how come out of the 57 names who applied for the post — including present chief selector Sandeep Patil or former India players like Pravin Amre or Lalchand Rajput — the BCCI out of the blue decided to include Kumble’s name? Shastri, however, was the only exception. 

What on earth compelled BCCI mandarins to sideline 57 applications (21 shortlisted) in favour of India’s former captain who is yet to prove his credentials in the coaching arena?

Kumble has been smartly handed a one-year contract by BCCI bosses who are not even sure about their own future, post the Apex Court decision expected in July.

Knowing well that Team India is going to steamroll any world class opposition on its tailor-made pitches in the next one year — where 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20s would be played on Indian spin-friendly wickets — one can well imagine Kumble’s report card after the 2016-17 season.

In recent times he did mentor two Indian Premier League teams, apart from heading the Karnataka Cricket Association for a term. His critics point at his inconsistent record in both assignments. If he did quit both IPL teams midway, then his decision to not contest KCA elections after one term was purportedly driven more by reasons commercial than cricketing.

Kumble’s biggest test would now be to handle a team full of stars. He had been part of one such team for a decade-and-a-half. Being the coach of a team, however, requires dealing with contrasting temperaments, mindsets, backgrounds and different abilities — certainly no mean task.

Handling Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni or for that matter any other member would be as difficult as it was for Kapil Dev when he was the Team India coach for one year.

That’s why the famous saying that “great cricketers don’t necessarily make good coaches,” is still relevant in cricket. And who knows it better than Greg Chappell after dealing with the trio of Tendulkar, VVS and Ganguly during his controversial two-and-a-half year stint in India? Luckily, Kumble doesn’t have to deal with these stars on the field!

The author is senior assistant editor, dna