Kumble, right pick for jumbo job

Almost 16 years after Kapil Dev resigned under controversial circumstances, an Indian has been handed the coaching job of the National cricket team and the choice of the candidate couldn’t have been any better. A groundswell of public opinion, welcoming the appointment of Anil Kumble as the head coach of the senior national team, just goes to show the respect the former India captain commands across a generation of cricketers. Ravi Shastri, the team director till the World T20 in March this year, was the front-runner to land the job by some distance until Kumble decided to throw his hat in the ring. The sheer weight of Kumble’s achievements as a cricketer tilted the balance in favour of the 45-year-old. His 619 wickets in Tests and 337 scalps in ODIs place him alongside the greatest cricketers of any era in the world but Kumble’s utility as a cricketer goes far beyond his field of expertise – leg spin bowling. Kumble’s was a giant presence in the dressing room during his playing days not just because of his performances on the field but also for his courage of conviction.

Long before he was appointed the Indian captain, an opportunity denied to him in 2000 when Sachin Tendulkar quit the position, he had fought for players’ cause. He was at the forefront of securing annual contracts for the players from the BCCI and played a crucial role in settling player-sponsorship issues ahead of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. His sternest test as leader of men came during the 2008 Sydney Test which was rocked by the Monkeygate episode. Kumble’s statesmanship during the crisis won him a standing ovation from the media and enhanced his reputation as a natural leader. His lack of coaching stint notwithstanding, Kumble brings to the table his vast international experience that this young team needs as it embarks upon a fresh journey.

The Bengalurean’s first assignment will be a four-Test series in the Caribbean but his tactical and technical nous will be handy when India’s home season – during which they are scheduled to play a record 13 Tests – kicks off with a series against New Zealand. Having captained MS Dhoni, the limited-overs skipper, and mentored Test skipper Virat Kohli at the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kumble enjoys comfortable rapport with the two that should help him strike good working relationship with them. The only flip side of this development is the short one-year contract but knowing Kumble, he will take it as another challenge where few can doubt his success.