Kumble steps down as India coach

Anil Kumble has stepped down from his position of head coach of the Indian team, the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed on Tuesday.

After losing the ICC Champions Trophy Final to Pakista on Sunday, the Indian team flew to the Caribbean for a series of limited-overs matches, but Kumble stayed back in London for ICC meetings n his capacity as chairman of the ICC’s Cricket Committee.

“Mr Anil Kumble has withdrawn his services as the post of the Head Coach for the Senior India Men’s team,” said a BCCI statement late in the evening in India, adding, “while the Cricket Advisory Committee had endorsed an extension to his tenure as Head Coach, Mr Anil Kumble has decided not to continue as the coach.”

Amitabh Choudhary, the acting secretary of the BCCI, thanked Kumble for his work with the Indian team, saying, “We wish to place on record our sincere appreciation for the immense contribution by Anil Kumble to the team which enabled India to attain the No. 1 Test position. Indian cricket needs his continued contribution in various capacities and wishes him all the best in his future endeavour.”

When the BCCI issued an advertisement on May 25 asking for interested candidates to send in their applications for the post of head coach, the rumour mills went into overdrive.

The BCCI soon issued a clarification, saying that Kumble, as the incumbent, wouldn’t have to apply, but it was only fair that fresh applications be sought as Kumble’s original contract was about to expire.

“To ensure a fair and completely transparent process, a nominee of the Committee of Administrators [CoA – tasked with running the BCCI by the Supreme Court of India] will oversee the entire process along with the Cricket Advisory Committee. The BCCI’s three-member advisory committee comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman will conduct interviews and seek presentations to select the best possible candidate to guide the team and take Indian cricket forward,” said a BCCI statement at the time.

Kumble, the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket for India, took charge of the Indian team on June 24, 2016 despite no previous experience of coaching at a representative level. But the Indian team achieved great heights under his stewardship, especially in Test cricket, where it won 12 and lost only one out of 17 Tests in this period to climb to No. 1 in the ICC rankings. While not as stellar, India’s performance in the shorter formats was good too: eight wins and five losses in 13 One-Day Internationals, capped by the appearance in the ICC Champions Trophy final, and two wins and two losses in five Twenty20 Internationals.

The former players who have sent in their applications to be Kumble’s successor are Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Lalchand Rajput and Dodda Ganesh.