Guha’s letter ill-timed, but fresh low for BCCI bosses

that the India skipper is reluctant to work with Kumble, though the former skipper and country’s leading Test bowler is only a year into his job and has presided over mostly wins.

Ramachandra Guha, the cricket historian and author, has only added to the muddle through his ill-timed listing of all that the four-member Committee of Administrators from which he quit didn’t take on board to reform the cricket Board.

The timing of his resignation suggests the Kumble affair has influenced his decision. And until one of the prime characters involved speak out, one can only go by what Kumble has achieved so far as coach.

There seems to be feverish activity around the team in Birmingham, 48 hours before the Pakistan game when the Indian brains trust should be focused entirely on tactics.

Cricket Advisory Committee members Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly reportedly seeking the team’s feedback on Kumble, it appears one clumsy effort to handle the crisis.

BCCI officials have already damaged the institution’s image through leaks on how Kumble has upset many players, raising the Greg Chappell versus Sourav Ganguly saga all over again.

The CoA, appointed in January, is struggling to fix the administrative structure and rid those who are either ineligible or face conflict of interest issues.

Guha has in an exhaustive letter to the CoA chief, Vinod Rai, said why he has resigned, and raised concerns that players having a say on the coach’s appointment would give rise to ‘a superstar culture gone berserk’.

Guha has raised many valid issues. But not pushing the CoA to act on it, and instead putting it out in the public domain, he may have eroded the credibility of the forum he was a part of.

Virat Kohli has every right to flag issues he feels can hurt the team. However, the manner in which the issue is dominating the start of India’s fresh season, and on the eve of a major event, will only give rise to fresh criticism of his prima donna behaviour.

Indian cricket has not had a bigger power than Sachin Tendulkar. But even during his lowest moments --- when he gave up captaincy after the second stint and had issues with Chappell -- he never indulged in power games that could have hurt the team and image of Indian cricket.