Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official

Anil Kumble's sacking as the head coach of the Indian cricket team in 2017 remains one of the most controversial sagas in Indian cricket. Kumble was removed as the head coach of the team following India's defeat in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against Pakistan. Kumble was asked to leave just one year after being appointed as the head coach of the team.

At the time several reports had cited differences between Kohli and Kumble as the major reason behind his sacking as head coach. The captain and head coach were reportedly not on the same page which led to the controversial sacking. A former BCCI official has now lifted the lid on the entire saga.

Former BCCI administrator Ratnakar Shetty, who was working with the board in 2017, has opened up on the Kohli-Kumble episode in his new book 'On Board: Test.Trial.Triumph. My years in BCCI'. Shetty revealed Kohli and Kumble were not on the same wavelength and the captain had an upper hand which led to the legendary spinner's sacking from the head coach post.

“The events leading up to the resignation of Anil Kumble as coach of the men’s team after the ICC Champions Trophy final in June 2017 showcased the murkiness that had steadily crept into the corridors of the Cricket Centre," Shetty has written in his book, as per the Indian Express.

“It was obvious that some people did not want Anil to continue as coach. The captain and coach did not appear to be on the same wavelength and it seemed that the captain had the upper hand," the former BCCI administrator further elaborated.

Opening up on the reason behind Kumble's sacking and his differences with Kohli, Shetty revealed Kohli felt Kumble was 'not standing up for the players' in the team and was 'creating a tense atmosphere in the dressing room. Kumble was replaced by Ravi Shastri as the head coach after India's loss in the Champions Trophy 2017 final.

"I learnt later about a meeting that took place in London before the final of the Champions Trophy, which we lost to Pakistan. This meeting was attended by Virat, Anil, Johri, Amitabh Choudhary and Dr Sridhar. Apparently, Virat was not happy with Anil ‘for not standing up for the players and creating a tense atmosphere in the dressing room’, among other things," revealed Shetty in his book.

Kohli and Shastri enjoyed a formidable partnership as coach and captain and took India to unprecedented success in Test cricket. India registered a memorable maiden series win in Australia and dominated at home and overseas in the longest format. However, the team failed to win a major ICC trophy under Shastri.

While Shastri left the India head coach post after the end of his contract last year, Kohli is also no more the captain of the Indian team in any format of the game at present.