Leaked email details Kohli's role in Kumble's sacking
Close to a year and a half after Anil Kumble's resignation as India's head coach, new updates are emerging regarding his much-publicised fallout with captain Virat Kohli.
An email by Diana Edulji to Vinod Rai, accessed by ESPNCricinfo, suggests that 'rules were broken' to appoint Ravi Shastri as Kumble's successor to the job.
Edulji's revelations stemmed from her ongoing disagreement with fellow-CoA member Vinod Rai, regarding the selection of an ad-hoc committee to pick Indian women's head coach. After Edulji claimed that both Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana wanted Ramesh Powar back at the helm, Rai has stated that players cannot have a say in the matters of coach's selection.
In response to Rai's statement, Edulji has revealed that Virat Kohli had a big say in removing Kumble from his post, alleging that he even sent messages to BCCI's CEO to replace the coach.
"Virat did not accede to Kumble continuing in spite of CAC saying so then why not these two players get what they feel is best for the team. They were truthful in expressing their views, unlike Virat who frequently sent SMS's to the CEO on which you acted and there was a change in the Coach", Edulji stated in the mail.
The CAC refers to the Cricket Advisory Committee that was formed to overlook the selection of the new coach. Comprising Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly, the CAC tried, but failed to mend differences between the captain and coach.
Edulji further stated that rules were broken in Shastri's ascension. Back then, Kumble had admitted that the captain had 'reservations' with his coaching style.
"There also I had objected and my dissent is recorded when the timelines were extended for someone to apply as he didn't apply in time. Mr Kumble a legend in his own right was subjected to loss of face and made to look like a villain, he was gracious enough to move on for which I respect him," Edulji stated.
"There also, rules were broken and I had raised objections back then", she added.
Shastri reign is currently contracted to run till the 2019 World Cup. Kumble quit as coach after serving the team for a year, during which the Indian team lost just one in 17 Tests.