Anil Kumble stepped down in acrimonious circumstances at the end of the Champions Trophy last month. (Source: PTI)
The Kohli-Kumble situation could have been managed better, the outgoing Committee of Administrators (COA) member Vikram Limaye said, as he bade adieu to his colleagues in the Committee and the BCCI on Saturday.
“It is now very clear that there were issues (between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble) that existed. I certainly believe that those issues could have been brought to people’s attention a lot earlier, so that the situation could have been managed better. It was brought to our (COA) attention last minute. Those who were aware of the issue should have raised it earlier; two months earlier, three months earlier; when they got to know of it. Kumble was appointed for one year and not that these were age-old issues,” he said.
He feels the outcome wouldn’t have been different. “I don’t think the outcome would have necessarily been different. The reality is that people, including the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) members, tried to reconcile (the differences). But if the differences were not reconcilable, the outcome would have been the same. But the COA would have been prepared, rather than doing things in a rush,” Limaye told The Sunday Express.
Kumble stepped down in acrimonious circumstances at the end of the Champions Trophy last month, when he was informed by the BCCI that Kohli had “reservations” with his “style” of functioning. Almost a month-long drama preceded his departure followed by the confusion over the appointment of the support staff and consultants under new head coach Ravi Shastri till COA chairman Vinod Rai clarified things on Saturday, informing about the formation of a committee.
Limaye didn’t attend today’s COA meeting after being relieved by the Supreme Court yesterday. He joined briefly via video conference to express his appreciation to those he worked with for the last six months. “I think Mr Rai has issued a statement. That’s what I had said earlier also. The head coach has to be involved in the decision of appointing other coaches,” he said.
Limaye is taking charge as the new Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange, which is the reason he sought his recusal from the COA. He described his stint with the BCCI as an “honour”, the responsibility being bestowed upon by the apex court. “I tried to bring to the table not only the knowledge of finance, but also a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach. We (COA) have tried to professionalise the set-up and bring in better governance and transparency,” Limaye said.
