IAN CHAPPELL

Pakistan soundly beat India in the Champions Trophy final and it’s been interesting, to say the least, to witness the aftermath.

Firstly, the Indian coach Anil Kumble resigned. Then the Pakistan players - not surprisingly were welcomed home as heroes. This was followed by an ICC announcement that Afghanistan and Ireland have been added to the list of Test playing nations, increasing the number to 12.

Kumble’s resignation was no great surprise as he’s a strongminded individual and the deteriorating relationship between him and captain Virat Kohli had reached the stage of being a distraction. Kumble’s character is relevant to any discussion about India’s future coaching appointments. The captain is the only person who can run an International cricket team properly because so much of the job involves on-field decision making. Also, a good part of the leadership role –performed off the field – has to be handled by the captain, as it helps him earn the players’ respect, which is crucial to a skipper’s success.

Consequently a captain has to be a strong-minded individual and decisive in his thought process. To put someone of a similar mindset in a position where he’s advising the captain is inviting confrontation.

The captain’s best advisors are his vice-captain, a clear thinking wicketkeeper and one or two senior players. They are out on the field and can best judge the mood of the game and what advice should be offered to the captain and at the appropriate time. The best off-field assistance for a captain is a good managerial type. Someone who can attend to duties that are not necessarily related to winning or losing matches but done efficiently can contribute to the success of the team.