Former India coach Anil Kumble, as we all know, never gave up. During his heydeys, we have even seen him bowl with a broken jaw.
Kumble bowled 14 overs on the trot after coming on to the field with a bandage around his head in the Antigua Test of 2002, It was a sight that told volumes about his fighting spirit. When asked why he came on to bowl even after suffering the injury, the legendary leg-spinner said: "At least I can now go home with the thought that I tried my best."
Nothing much had changed when he started his second innings with the Indian cricket team last year -- this time as coach. India won almost everything during his one-year term and the team's rise to the top of the Test ladder was among the commendable feats of the coach.
However, shortly after reports of a rift between skipper Virat Kohli and Kumble surfaced and reported meetings to douse the fire in the camp bore no fruit, the latter shocked the cricket fraternity by coming up with his resignation.
Kumble was supposed to travel with Kohli and Co. to the Caribbean for the ongoing limited overs tour. However, he chose not to. While the Karnataka leggie is known for his never-give-up attitude, the way he quit without even staying on to serve his notice period was surprising.
However, it has now emerged that Kumble was forced into a situation where he felt no motivation to continue working with the Indian team. Notably, the Cricket Advisory Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, in their attempt to settle the differences, had only met Kohli and not Kumble during the Champions Trophy (CT) in England.
Matters reportedly escalated and Kohli, who was not happy with the CAC's approach, expressed his discontent to the BCCI top brass in a meeting, in which Kumble was also present, immediately after the Champions Trophy final. And the 45-minute gathering, in which only the captain's voice was heard, was the last straw that forced the coach's exit, a source, who was aware of the developments, told the Times of India.
"The CAC gave a patient hearing to Virat (Kohli) and concluded that since the problems were not substantial, and the team's performance was good, there was no reason to remove Kumble. It did not even meet Kumble to ask him his side of the story because it felt he had done a good job since being appointed by the CAC a year ago," the source said.
"The CAC's stand perhaps made Virat desperate, and he then sought a meeting with the BCCI officials after the CT final in London last Monday. Having conveyed its decision to the board, the CAC didn't feel the need to attend this meeting, where only the BCCI officials -Amitabh Chaudhary (acting secretary), Rahul Johri (CEO) and MV Sridhar (GM, cricket operations) -were present, apart from Kohli and Kumble," the source added.
It further said: "In the 45-minute meeting, Kohli did most of the talking, making it clear that he had reservations about both Kumble's style of functioning and him continuing as head coach."
"It was nothing but pure humiliation for a man of his stature, and it was not surprising that he didn't even choose to serve out his 'notice period' and accompany the team to the West Indies for a short, limited overs tour. It's clear that a few officials wanted Kumble to exit the scene," he lamented.
