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Is coaching a different ball game?

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Suddenly people are slowly forgetting India losing the recent Champions Trophy finals to Pakistan and the spotlight has been shifting more on the Kohli-Kumble breach.  The media has been noisy with reports of differences between the coach and the captain.

Anil Kumble stepped down as India head coach after about a year in charge because his “partnership” with captain Virat Kohli was “untenable”, the captain having “reservations” about his “coaching” style. Reports further reveal that “Kohli found Kumble’s brand of coaching a bit too assertive”, and their relationship “beyond repair”. Kohli reportedly informed Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and top BCCI officials that he was not in favour of continuing with the former leg-spinner, who took over from Ravi Shastri (who was Team India director) last year.

The removal of even a one-year old tweet by Kohli welcoming Kumble’s appointment as coach manifests the resentment that has wrestled into Kohli’s relation with the coach.

BCCI advertised the head coach’s job in May, but “endorsed” an extension to Kumble’s one year deal.  Even before the Champions Trophy, the captain denied reports of a rift with the 46-year old India’s leading wicket taker, who scalped 619 wickets in an 18-year Test career.

Though there are contenders to replace Kumble, Jumbo’s record as the team coach has been commendable. Although India could not win the Champions Trophy, as a coach, Kumble has guided Team India to a record of just one defeat in 17 Tests since taking charge. With such exemplary track record, how does one remove him? Or, is there something more to the story?

To what extent should a captain have a say? Where do you draw the line? Is the job description of the captain and the coach clear and micro-specific? Can a captain decide who can be the coach? How do you reject a candidate, a true ambassador of cricket, who has been approved by the game legends –Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman – and who also renewed the contract? Was he not inducted by his experience, temperament, administrative calibre, competitive streak and never-say-die attitude?  Or, is coaching a different ball game?

Other team players’ “dissent” for the head coach is disturbing and doesn’t augur well for the game. If the majority of the team is against Kumble, what was our cricket board and the CAC doing? What in case the captain finds himself in another thorny situation, as a repeat would only suggest a design.

Perhaps, former Committee of Administrators (COA) member Ramachandra Guha was right. “There is indeed a superstar culture in India”, he said. Kohli is a great batsman, studded with passion and aggression, but not bigger than cricket. It’s time, with World Cup 2019 not far away, the board addressed the contentious issue in fair perspective.

The role of a coach

Remember, India toured Ireland/England in 2007 without a coach. The team had experienced stars comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Virendra Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble…  Chandu Borde (72) was the team manager.  We won both the series.

Should there be a coach at the international level? A section of the game-experts opines that once a player represented the country, he is expected to do the basics right.  Or, rename the coach as director or strategist?

However, a mentor/coach is vital in the professional set-up, and managing a team of legends is very crucial. Gary Kirsten, for instance, helped India to a World Cup win and achieve No.1 ranking in Test cricket. Where was the need for Gary to teach Sachin Tendulkar to bat or Anil Kumble to bowl?

Of course, great players will concur that you never stop learning and constantly seek to improve the subtle nuances and style of the game.  While a coach must be a team’s guide, it does not stop him from offering his expertise in issues such as techniques, fitness, temperament, team selection etc.

A coach should supplement, not supplant the captain’s role. Did the task-master cross the boundaries? I hope not. The Indian cricket board should ensure that the new candidate is not a captain’s pushover.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

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