It was a usual Thursday Evening in the office. A big event was on the Trot. The Clock was ticking to almost 05:00 PM as it was scheduled for an announcement of India Head Coach. The announcement delayed by more than an hour & 15 minutes. I was trying to make the bestest canva cards to flash the breaking.
Finally the melodrama of BCCI came to an end at 06:15 PM and the new boss of BCCI Mr. Anurag Thakur declared Anil Kumble as the coach of Team India for one Year ! The decision was welcomed by one and all with sheer joy across the cricketing fraternity. (On and Off the Field)
956 International wickets in his career, one of the best cricketer India has ever produced. The guy who batted and bowled with a broken jaw, owns a record of taking 10 wickets in his kitty in one inning after Jim Laker. Once his name was there in the ring. Probably it was hard for anybody to cross this challenge to be the favorite of Indian Trios (Sachin- Sourav-Laxman) who were bound to suggest some names to the BCCI.
As a coach his coaching credentials are very limited. He has mentored the two IPL Franchise RCB and Mumbai Indians but it is said that it takes a lot being the coach of team India. I am no body to raise a finger or pin point the selection but his sudden rise amidst those 57 applicants are bound to raise some eyebrows.
As an individual I admire him a lot, his determination, grit and prowess are worth an institution and lot to be admired but as BCCI had made this application public. The "Jumbo" probably fails the first criteria; he has never coached an international or first-class team, which was one of the criteria the BCCI had listed in its job description. Even in professional streams we come across such examples where criterias are just limited to the rule books. I have no dearth of doubt that he may prove an excellent coach and administrator. There’s no doubting his intentions and cricketing credentials, but it’s the manner in which he was selected that raises some questions.
This is a very serious question to the new Boss of BCCI. I am no body to raise a finger or pin point the selection but his sudden rise amidst those 57 applicants who had applied for the same posts are bound to raise some eyebrows. Even Sandip Patil didn't get any mention or invitation courtesy the final round of interviews.
In a routine work I was just going through some classy piece of ESPNCricinfo where I found an interesting bit According to a report published in Cricinfo, Kumble had not made that 21-man shortlist.
It was on the insistence of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman that his name was added to the pot. If this is the transparency then pardon me BCCI should think to change their some of the policies on which they are working right now. As stated by BCCI President Anurag Thakur on a serious note for god sake make BCCI "more transparent". The news were also rife that even Ravi Shahstri had the backing of Virat Kohli, the captian who is going to lead team for miles.
May be as he later stated that Rahul Dravid was the first choice and he refused to go with the post and work but it seems that Indis's Fab Five would rule Indian Cricket for some time. Kumble to coach senior team, Dravid to nurture future stars of team India and the trio of Sachin, Ganguly and Laxman in Advisory Committee we can probably hope for the best of team India as it was in 90s when they were the part of dressing room. As I think giving "JUMBO" this responsibility is on a trial and error process; If it goes with the plan they may carry forward unless would look for a change.
Knowing the way the BCCI functions, it is unlikely these questions will ever be answered. More or less The Jumbo has 365 days to prove his credential as a coach and I hope that he would do so!
India are set to play 17 Tests mostly on home soil. we may hope that the aggression of Virat and the coool, calm and composed nature of Kumble may bring some good results, and why not the greatest cricketer of our country deserves a chance...As an avid fan of cricket Good luck, Jumbo, and hope it all works out for the best!
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