AFTER RIFT, KOHLI DELETES ‘WELCOME’ TWEET FOR KUMBLE Virat says will never reveal details of dressing room INDIA EYE
Mumbai, June 22: With the Virat Kohli-Anil Kumble saga rolling into India’s tour of West Indies, the India captain has deleted an year-old welcome tweet.
Kumble, who was appointed as the head coach of the Indian cricket team in June 2016, was welcomed to his new role by the then Test captain Virat Kohli. However, soon after Anil Kumble came out with a statement saying that the “Captain had reservations with my ‘style’ and about my continuing as the Head Coach”, Kohli deleted his welcome tweet for Kumble.
Kumble, who had thanked his own tweet, thanking Kohli for his wishes. The duo had enjoyed a successful partnership on the pitch, with Team India having a 70.59 per cent win percentage in Test cricket. — PTI Port of Spain, June 22: Captain Virat Kohli will look to put to rest, all the off-field controversies regarding Anil Kumble’s controversial exit, as India gear up for the first ODI against a second string West Indies, on Friday.
Ironically, it was the Caribbean Islands, where Anil Kumble’s journey as the chief national coach started but within a year, the team is back without its coach.
Skipper Kohli, whose much publicised difference of opinion with coach Anil Kumble, has grabbed the headlines more than the team’s performance in the Champions Trophy, couldn’t have asked for a more convenient opposition than the West Indies, which even struggled against minnows Afghanistan. A cluster of big wins in the five-match ODI series and single T20 will help Kohli divert the unnecessary attention pinned on him with many ready to make him the ‘fall guy’ in the entire Kumble episode.
This will also be an occasion when Kohli will have complete freedom in team selection as batting coach Sanjay Bangar is not known for giving any tangible inputs save giving throwdowns Port of Spain, June 22: Opening up for the first time, Virat Kohli said that he will never reveal dressing-room details, in an apparent reference to the now retired coach Anil Kumble’s statement that their partnership had become “untenable”. Kumble stepped down a couple of days back due to differences with the India captain.
Kohli said “he respects” Kumble’s decision to quit and that there is highest regard for him as a player.
“Obviously Anil bhai has expressed his views and he has taken a decision to step out and we will respect that decision,” Kohli said on the eve of the first ODI against the West Indies.
The skipper spoke about how dressing room details are sacred to him. “One thing for sure is that I have had 11 press conferences that have happened during the Champions Trophy. We have created a culture over the last 34 years that whatever happens in the change room, we have tried to maintain the sanctity of the change room throughout. That is what the whole team believes in. For us that is paramount,” Kohli stated.
Kohli said that he and his players respect Kumble’s achievements as a player. “I have total respect for him as a cricketer and what he has achieved for the nation. All the years that he has played. There’s no taking away that aspect of him at all. And we all respect him totally,” he said.
— PTI