Published: Sep 11, 2016, 10:58 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 11, 2016, 10:58 AM (IST)
The new appointed Indian coach Anil Kumble, who has had a fair amount of success in his opening role as the Indian coach, as his team registered a fine 2-0 win over hosts West Indies in the just concluded four-Test series, has been among the headlines as well, as he is also one of the most talked about persons currently in Indian cricket. Being one of the legendary Indian bowlers, and also the highest wicket-taker for Indian in the history, Kumble has made an instant impact as a coach, as he aims to to continue to good momentum he has got, while the Indian team continues to support his valuable contributions. Anil Kumble: Team India is extremely committed
Speaking in an interview with cricbuzz.com, Kumble said about the decisions he made during the West Indies tour on leaving out players Cheteshwar Pujara or Murali Vijay. “It’s a decision that we take. Obviously the coach is responsible for having a chat with the players. Only 11 can play, there are disappointments and you feel that disappointment when you tell them. It is never easy. Selection is probably the toughest for a coach or a captain, for that matter,” he said.
“When you picked your 11, how do you tell your 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 that sorry, you guys are not playing and what is the reasoning. So it is quite a challenge. But I think this team understands that and my role was to ensure that things were smooth. It was pretty easy for me to try and smoothen things out. I think this team certainly understands, and the results have been good. It’s not easy for an individual player to miss out, especially someone who is established, but the circumstances were such that, we had to make that decision,” he added. Anil Kumble, BCCI congratulate India A on their Quadrangular A Series victory
On being asked about how handles two skippers at a time int he form of Virat Kohli for Tests and MS Dhoni for limited-overs, he said, “The first official interaction or the first coach-captain scenario with MS was supposed to be in October, but it got fast-tracked to Florida. It was only for five days. But MS has been the captain for the longest period in Indian cricket. He was brilliant. He obviously knows captaincy better than anybody else in terms of what the team requires. Having played with MS and knowing him really well, I don’t think him coming in as captain for the limited-overs internationals will be an issue at all.”
Asked of the players in the Indian side are afraid of you as a coach, he laughingly said, “No, no, no, I think they are respectful. I don’t think they are afraid of me! Probably they were afraid of me when I was playing, but not now! That’s the first thing I told Virat as well. I said ‘Virat, I know you have seen me as the captain of RCB and here you won’t get any stares, don’t worry!’ So, yes, they are respectful of what I have been able to achieve but I don’t think they are scared or anything.But obviously, attaining that [level of] comfort will take some time. That’s me, it will take some time for everyone to get comfortable with me.” Anil Kumble excited to work alongside MS Dhoni
Speaking on the upcoming long season for Team India, as the play 13 Tests, along with some limited-overs action as well, and on how he is shaping up the played for the gruesome season ahead, he said, “Back-to-back 13 Test matches with about 3-4 days’ gap – and even in that three days’ gap, one day of travel. So it is going to be a challenge. We were conscious of that even in the West Indies.If you looked at the way we trained and gave people time off, it was keeping all this in mind. That’s one of the reasons why even now, after we have come back, there will be a few players who will miss out on playing in the Duleep Trophy.”
“It is crucial that the squad remains physically fit and goes through those 13 games. It is going to be crucial how we plan our practice and workloads. It will be important that we keep everyone fit.Fitness-wise, this team is certainly up there with any international team, so that’s a good thing. They are all aware of the importance of fitness, rest and diet and the captain obviously leads from the front,” he added. Anil Kumble: Really pleased with Mohammed Shami’s comeback
Kumble was also quick to speak about the pitches back at home, on how they would be made and would behave in the upcoming long home series. “I don’t think it has ever changed. When I was captain, the first question in a media conference when we played in India was, ‘What do you think of the pitch?’ That question has never changed. But from my point and the team’s point of view, I am more concerned about what kind of cricket we play on that pitch rather than what the pitch will do,” he said.
“We need to focus on the kind of cricket that we want to play and that’s something that has been really impressive over the last so many years. I think the Indian media certainly scrutinizes the pitch more than any other media. If you want to play consistent cricket, be the No. 1 team and consistently win matches, pitches shouldn’t be a bother. I just want to be focused on what we do on the surface rather than the surface itself,” he added.
Kumble was specifically asked on how he advises his players to cope up with the fan backlash they face on social media, to which he calmly replied, “At the end of it, it is a cricket team. I think people need to understand cricketers also have a life. You need to judge a player over a period of time, not every performance. I know with social media, it tends to be judged with every ball. Yes, somebody will hit you for a six and the next ball he gets out. But the players are definitely aware of what needs to go on social media. I know that there were times when people were asked why he has this glass in his hand, etc. I mean, come on, they are not school kids. We are all adults and you don’t want surveillance.”
