Indian Cricket set foot to a new era, as on Thursday Anil Kumble was appointed as the Head coach of Indian Cricket team for one year by BCCI. After 16 years, an Indian spinner is a coach of Indian cricket team. BCCI has offered him just one year contract as he has no experience in coaching.
Anil Kumble’s name was not in the list, he was a late entrant. Even he did not fulfill the criteria that Indian coach should have successfully trained a first class team. Keeping in mind his stature as a player the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) included his name. He was not in the list of 21 candidates, pruned from 57, which was forwarded by BCCI’s Secretary Office to the Members of the CAC – Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.
Since his retirement in 2008, he has not coached any team but he has been a mentor of Royal Challenger Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. He is also chairman of the ICC’s cricket committee. If Indian Cricket team coached by Kumble is able to produce results in the given period, his term could be extended else, the BCCI will appoint a new coach who will have enough time on hand before the next edition of the 50-over World Cup in 2019.
Under the directions of Kumble, Indian cricket team has 17 test matches, 8 one day matches and 3 T-20 matches in next 8 months. Anil Kumble is one of those renowned players in the cricket team who can snatch victory out of the joys of defeat. After appointing Kumble as Head Coach, BCCI President Anurag Thakur said “We have Anil Kumble with us. He has been a match-winner for India. He has a great record. And his record speaks. That he has from matches for India”. Kumble is all set to join the pre-camp which will be in Bangalore next week before he flies for his first major assignment to the Caribbean.
The BCCI Secretary also said “Kumble has one year to transform himself from being a great player on the cricketing field to becoming a great coach that we expect him to be. This transition has to be smooth, as this is a professional appointment. All professional appointments try to cover all bases. Therefore that is the reason we want to be able to be in a position to review our options should there be any need. I am confident that we will not have address that need”.
After appointed as Head Coach Anil Kumble said “It’s a great honor for me. I had played many matches with Sachin, Saurav and Laxman. Rahul is the coach of team. It’s good that we five are still contributing to the Indian cricket. Now the time has come for us to give something back to the Indian Cricket”.