The 15-member Indian squad departed the United Kingdom to go to West Indies for their upcoming series without their coach Anil Kumble, according to a PTI report on Tuesday.
As per the report, Kumble did not travel with the team as he had to attend the International Cricket Council Annual Conference in his capacity as chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee. The conference started on Monday and will end on Friday, the day India play their first One-Day International of their tour against West Indies in Trinidad.
“Yes, chief coach Anil Kumble is staying back for the ICC Meeting. The team is flying off to Barbados today,” said an unnamed source, in the report.
However, this event assumes greater significance in light of recent reports about a rift between captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India is currently in the process of finalising India’s next coach, reports suggested that BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee and the Supreme Court-mandated Committee of Administrators were in favour of having Kumble stay on as coach till the end of the West Indies tour in July.
The BCCI’s official release announcing the squad for the tour also confirmed that India’s current administrative staff would be continuing in their respective roles. However, captain Virat Kohli reportedly conveyed his “strong reservations” about Kumble in a meeting with the CAC on June 17.
Another official quoted by PTI in the report suggested that it did not bode well for the former Indian leg-spinner.
“Funny, the ICC Meeting dates are known for months and so is the West Indies itinerary,” said the official. “You mean Anil didn’t know he had to choose between ICC Meeting and the West Indies tour. May be he is finding it too difficult to continue.”