Reports: 'Stifled' Team India players unhappy with coach Anil Kumble

Team India’s preparation for their marquee clash against Pakistan might be in full swing, and the players might seem to be in a positive mindset, but behind closed doors, there seems to be a different story brewing up. A few days after the BCCI opened the doors for applications for the post of the team’s next head coach, reports are emerging that the Indian players are unhappy with the workings of Anil Kumble, the current coach and one of the most respected players in the country.

According to India Today, both senior and junior players are unhappy with the way their freedom is being stifled and they are unable to express themselves freely. They have even approached the CoA (Council of Administrators), expressing their discontent with the workings of the current India coach. Initially, the primary reason for the BCCI fresh search for a coach was attributed to the Board’s unhappiness over Anil Kumble’s fancy demands, including a hike in fees and a separate ‘captaincy fees’ for Virat Kohli. This new development, a huge one at that, could be an unnecessary distraction for the Indian players, who have, till now, not come out in the open regarding the coach search. Captain Virat Kohli had stated that the same procedure will be followed this time, as it was done in June last year before Kumble got the job. Under Kumble’s tutelage, the Indian team has identified a core group of players for the future, and has done exceedingly well in the last one year, winning all but one Test match in their 13-Test home season that saw them defeat England, New Zealand and Australia in a row.

Despite the run of success, the Indian players are said to be not enjoying the confidence that they used to before. It has gone to the extent that the players believe that all the success in the past one year has been at home, and the team doesn’t exactly need a coach to perform well on home soil. As far as Kumble’s replacement is concerned, Rahul Dravid seems to be the front-runner at the moment. Dravid is also the coach of the India-A and U-19 teams, and was also the mentor-coach of the Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2017. With the Champions Trophy defence set to start in a few days, such reports seem to be a hinting at an air of discontent, one which has shades of the Greg Chappell era from 2007. In the lead-up to the tournament, there was mistrust and mutiny in the players, against the workings of the Australian’s coaching methods, all of which led to the team’s humiliating exit in the group stages. Hopefully, the situation isn’t as bad as it was a decade back, especially because Kumble is a highly respected legend who has helped mentor some of the best talents in the country over the years. This could be a huge dent to his incomparable legacy, and a body blow to Indian cricket during such a crucial phase.