Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Does Kumble's resignation mean the captain is more important than the coach?

BATTING great Sunil Gavaskar lamented a "sad day" after Anil Kumble stepped down as India coach over a rift with captain Virat Kohli, leaving the hotseat vacant once again.

Kumble said yesterday (21) his position was "untenable" after Kohli questioned his leadership style and told the Indian board he had reservations about the spin legend extending his one-year stay.


Since Duncan Fletcher left in March 2015, India, currently the world's top Test team, have struggled for stability with Ravi Shastri and Sanjay Bangar both taking on temporary roles before Kumble's reign.

"I have very little knowledge about the differences between Virat and Anil. But it is a really sad day for Indian cricket," Gavaskar told NDTV.

"India have won everything since the time Anil took over," he added. "I can't see Anil doing much wrong in one year. Differences (can) happen in any team but see the results."

India suffered a humiliating defeat to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday, but Kumble also helped them reclaim the number-one Test ranking and maintained an unblemished record in five Test series.

Former India captain and coach Bishan Singh Bedi also signalled his disappointment, tweeting: "If there's more intelligent/committed Crkt analyser than @anilkumble 1074 on Indn horizon (we are) ignorant really!"

Kumble, 46, had already appeared headed for the exit after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) advertised for a new coach last month, although he was an automatic candidate.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag and Australia's Tom Moody are reported to be among the possible replacements for Kumble, whose contract ran out after the Champions Trophy.

Sehwag, who seems to be the frontrunner for the job, believes it would be tough for anyone to match Kumble's success as coach.

"The way this Indian team has performed under his coaching, I doubt whether anybody else will be able to replicate his success," Sehwag told UC News, an online data provider.

"I don't know about his coaching style but as a player, as an individual and as a senior he is just brilliant," said Sehwag, who played under Kumble's Test captaincy.

Sambit Bal, editor in chief of ESPNCricinfo.com, said the manner of Kumble's exit set an unwelcome precedent for Indian cricket.

"I think that sets a bad precedent really... it's really a case where the BCCI has backed the captain over the coach," he said.

"The message is sent out to the next coach: fall into line or else," added Bal.

A three-man panel of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, who picked Kumble in June last year, will deliberate over Kumble's replacement.

As well as Sehwag and Moody, reports say other candidates are Englishman Richard Pybus, who has coached Pakistan and Bangladesh, former India manager Lalchand Rajput and ex-paceman Dodda Ganesh.

An Indian Express column said the pressures of modern cricket demanded a "strong chain of command".

"Giving veto powers to the captain and players over coaches sits at odds with the direction cricket is moving in," the column said.

"Indian cricket has once again endorsed that captain is more important than a coach," it added.

(AFP)

More For You

Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem

A day before the attack, Chopra had announced that top javelin throwers, including Paris Olympics champion Nadeem, had been invited to the event on May 24.

Neeraj Chopra rules out Arshad Nadeem’s presence at Bengaluru event

INDIA’s Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has said that Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem will not be attending the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru next month. His comments came after the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.

Chopra said the possibility of Nadeem’s presence was “completely out of the question” following the attack, which took place on Tuesday.

Keep ReadingShow less
hazlewood-getty

Player-of-the-match Hazlewood said that he 'was just sticking to my strengths'. (Photo; Getty Images)

Hazlewood takes four as Bengaluru beat Rajasthan by 11 runs in IPL

JOSH HAZLEWOOD took 4 for 33 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs in their IPL match on Thursday. Rajasthan had won the toss and chose to field first.

Chasing a target of 206, Rajasthan were in a strong position before Hazlewood dismissed Dhruv Jurel in the 19th over. Jurel had scored 47 off 34 balls. He was out with 17 runs needed off 9 balls.

Keep ReadingShow less
trent-boult-getty

Boult, who retired from international cricket in 2024, was named player of the match for his early breakthroughs. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Rohit, Boult help Mumbai climb to third in IPL table

ROHIT SHARMA scored 76 and Trent Boult took 4 for 26 as Mumbai Indians defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets on Wednesday to move up to third in the IPL standings.

Boult and Deepak Chahar broke through the Hyderabad top order, reducing them to 35 for 5 before they ended on 143 for 8. Mumbai chased down the target with 26 balls remaining for their fourth straight win.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bumrah and Mandhana are Wisden’s cricketers of the year

Jasprit Bumrah (L) was named as the leading men’s cricketer in the world in the 2025 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, with his compatriot Smriti Mandhana picking up the women’s award

Bumrah and Mandhana are Wisden’s cricketers of the year

INDIA paceman Jasprit Bumrah was named as the leading men’s cricketer in the world in the 2025 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, with his compatriot Smriti Mandhana picking up the women’s award.

Bumrah was given the honour by the sport’s “bible” after a stunning 2024 in which he excelled in red- as well as white-ball cricket.

Keep ReadingShow less
KL-Rahul-Getty

This was Rahul’s third half-century of the season, and the knock took him past 5,000 runs in the IPL. (Photo: Getty Images)

KL Rahul leads Delhi to eight-wicket win over Lucknow in IPL

KL RAHUL hit an unbeaten 57 to help Delhi Capitals beat Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets in the IPL on Tuesday.

Delhi were chasing 160 and reached the target with 13 balls to spare. Rahul shared a 69-run partnership with Abishek Porel, who made 51, and remained not out to see his team through.

Keep ReadingShow less