Kumble’s appointment redeems the situation

If I remember correctly, it was Sanjay Manjrekar who some years back said that Anil Kumble was the kind of man you would like your sister to be married to. Joke aside, this showed just how highly the leg-spinner was regarded in the Indian dressing room – and not just for his cricketing prowess.

But heck, does Kumble need a ‘character certificate’ today? To me, his best virtues as a person have been evident every inch of the way in which he has played his cricket over the last 17 years. His integrity is unquestionable. He has been ambitious, but without sacrificing humility. He has shown courage in adversity. His no-nonsense approach suggests a maturity that keeps pettiness not only out of his own system but also the dressing room.

I must confess to being a trifle surprised at Mahendra Singh Dhoni being bypassed for the Test captaincy, but largely because of the shenanigans that have dotted this selection over the past few weeks. It had not only become farcical but threatened to vitiate the atmosphere in the Indian dressing room.
 
The (quite needless, I believe) ‘seniors versus juniors’ theme has become the subject of a volatile nationwide debate, and the selectors were not helping the cause any by their dithering. There are sensitivities involved on both sides, and while all these players wear the India cap, they too are only human.

Choosing Kumble rather than any other redeems the situation somewhat. For one, he is one of four players -- Tendulkar, Dravid and Dhoni being the other three -- who walk into the Test side, no questions asked. Of these, Dravid and Tendulkar, for different reasons, have declined the captaincy, and Dhoni, all things considered, has time on his side. The scope for rancour emerging from thwarted ambition gets considerably diluted.

More importantly, Kumble enjoys probably the most exalted place in the dressing room along with Tendulkar. There is very little about this game that he has not seen or experienced. His voice commands attention and respect, from seniors and juniors alike. His body of work is so spectacular that it brooks no nonsense.

It is childish to suggest that he deserves this position as acknowledgement for his wonderful services to Indian cricket. I don’t think Kumble himself would be too happy with that. Of course his appointment is short-term but no less important for that.

There are three tough series ahead – against Pakistan, Australia and South Africa – for which he should be retained, I believe, to make an impact. In this period he has to stitch together a hardy unit that plays to win -- and wins more often than not. The Indian spectatorship has become restless and demanding, disallowing a namby-pamby approach by the team.

The time frame is not the crucial issue, rather what Kumble can achieve in this time.