BCCI to ask Kumble and Laxman to apply for post of Team India coach
'Anil Kumble’s exit needs course correction. The manner in which the CoA succumbed to the pressure of Kohli and removed him, wasn’t the best example set. However, it also depends on whether Kumble or Laxman are ready to apply for the job,' a BCCI source told PTI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will likely ask leg-spin great Anil Kumble and batting wizard VVS Laxman to apply for the post of Team India coach once Ravi Shastri finishes his term after the T20 World Cup, according to reports.
Kumble was the coach of the Indian team in 2016-17 when the Cricket Advisory Committee headed by Sachin Tendulkar, Laxman and Sourav Ganguly appointed him, replacing Shastri. However, a fallout with captain Virat Kohli led to Kumble tendering his resignation after the Champions Trophy final defeat against Pakistan.
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Laxman has been a mentor of the IPL side SunRisers Hyderabad for some years now.
“Anil Kumble’s exit needs course correction. The manner in which the CoA succumbed to the pressure of Kohli and removed him, wasn’t the best example set. However, it also depends on whether Kumble or Laxman are ready to apply for the job,” a BCCI source told PTI.
Kohli has already said he will quit as T20 captain after the World Cup.
For the BCCI brass, a reputed Indian coach is always the first choice and both Kumble and Laxman fit the bill perfectly.
A foreign coach is the second option. “The criteria for the coach’s job will be such that only a select few with very good record as players as well as experience of coaching/mentorship can apply for the top job,” the source said.