India skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday rejected the reports of him having any rift with head coach Anil Kumble, saying they are mere speculations which have been created by the people ahead of the team`s much anticipated high octane opening match of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan to be played at Edgbaston Cricket Ground on Sunday.

&quot;There are lot of speculations and lot of things being written by people who are not even part of the change room, which is very strange. There are no problems whatsoever,&quot; Kohli told the media.

After India left for England to defend the Champions Trophy, it was reported that all was not well between Kohli and Kumble.

Reports have been surfacing about Kohli`s alleged spat with Kumble regarding differences of opinion on selection matters.

Kumble&#39;s contract as Indian cricket team&#39;s head coach will end post-India&#39;s campaign at the Champions Trophy and the BCCI has already invited applications for the position.

&quot;If something is being put in as a process, I don&#39;t see why people are creating so many speculations about it. It was followed last time also. The team is totally focused on the Champions Trophy. I honestly don&#39;t even know and I don&#39;t even want to know anything of this sort because in a tournament which is such big, lot of people like to find lot of rumours and especially before the start of the tournament,&quot; stated Kohli.

&quot;They are doing their job and on their livelihood. We are focused on our livelihood which is on the field and all that we are going to focus on,&quot; he added.

The iconic leg-spinner, who took over the post of head coach from former cricketer Ravi Shastri, has had a successful tenure as under him, team India claimed the ICC Test ranking top spot.

On Friday, after former India skipper and member of Cricket Advisory Committee, Sourav Ganguly, met Indian cricketers at team hotel, it was indicated that Kumble would step down from his position after the Champions Trophy.

Ramachandra Guha, who quit a Supreme Court-appointed four-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) overseeing the BCCI in protest, has said in his letter of resignation, &quot;If indeed the captain and the head coach were not getting along, why was this not attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March?&quot;

&quot;Why was it left until the last minute, when a major international tournament was imminent?&quot; he asked.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag, former Australian Test player Tom Moody, current head coach Kumble, former Indian cricketers Lalchand Rajput and Dodda Ganesh and former Pakistan and Bangladesh coach Richard Pybus have applied for the post of India`s head coach.

The BCCI`s three-member Cricket Advisory Committee comprising cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS Laxman will conduct interviews and seek presentations to select the best possible candidate to guide the team and take the team forward.

(ANI)

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In a press conference before the crucial Indo-Pak encounter on Sunday, Virat Kohli cleared the air about news that there is a rift between Indian cricket team coach Anil Kumble and him (WION)
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Reports have been surfacing about Kohli`s alleged spat with Kumble regarding differences of opinion on selection matters

India skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday rejected the reports of him having any rift with head coach Anil Kumble, saying they are mere speculations which have been created by the people ahead of the team`s much anticipated high octane opening match of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan to be played at Edgbaston Cricket Ground on Sunday. "There are lot of speculations and lot of things being written by people who are not even part of the change room, which is very strange. There are no problems whatsoever," Kohli told the media. After India left for England to defend the Champions Trophy, it was reported that all was not well between Kohli and Kumble. Reports have been surfacing about Kohli`s alleged spat with Kumble regarding differences of opinion on selection matters. Kumble's contract as Indian cricket team's head coach will end post-India's campaign at the Champions Trophy and the BCCI has already invited applications for the position. "If something is being put in as a process, I don't see why people are creating so many speculations about it. It was followed last time also. The team is totally focused on the Champions Trophy. I honestly don't even know and I don't even want to know anything of this sort because in a tournament which is such big, lot of people like to find lot of rumours and especially before the start of the tournament," stated Kohli. "They are doing their job and on their livelihood. We are focused on our livelihood which is on the field and all that we are going to focus on," he added. The iconic leg-spinner, who took over the post of head coach from former cricketer Ravi Shastri, has had a successful tenure as under him, team India claimed the ICC Test ranking top spot. On Friday, after former India skipper and member of Cricket Advisory Committee, Sourav Ganguly, met Indian cricketers at team hotel, it was indicated that Kumble would step down from his position after the Champions Trophy. Ramachandra Guha, who quit a Supreme Court-appointed four-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) overseeing the BCCI in protest, has said in his letter of resignation, "If indeed the captain and the head coach were not getting along, why was this not attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March?" "Why was it left until the last minute, when a major international tournament was imminent?" he asked. Former India opener Virender Sehwag, former Australian Test player Tom Moody, current head coach Kumble, former Indian cricketers Lalchand Rajput and Dodda Ganesh and former Pakistan and Bangladesh coach Richard Pybus have applied for the post of India`s head coach. The BCCI`s three-member Cricket Advisory Committee comprising cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS Laxman will conduct interviews and seek presentations to select the best possible candidate to guide the team and take the team forward. (ANI) In a press conference before the crucial Indo-Pak encounter on Sunday, Virat Kohli cleared the air about news that there is a rift between Indian cricket team coach Anil Kumble and him (WION) ×

Virat Kohli scotches reports of rift between him and Kumble ahead of match with arch-rival Pakistan

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly sent three of its officials to England to resolve the alleged differences between Team India captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble, a media report claimed on Thursday.

The two officials, chief of the BCCI Committee of Administrators Vinod Rai and&nbsp;general manager (cricket operations) Dr MV Sridhar, are making an unscheduled trip to England ahead of India&#39;s Champions Trophy opener 
against Pakistan on June 4.

Acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary&#39;s visit to England was planned in advance while Dr MV Sridhar&#39;s visit has been scheduled now, official sources told Indian daily mid-day.com.

Sridhar, who has played 97 first-class matches, is highly respected by the players and may facilitate Vinod Rai&#39;s interactions with the coach and captain.&nbsp;

The BCCI officials will reach Birmingham today and will return after India&#39;s match with&nbsp;Pakistan match on Sunday.

Meanwhile, historian Ramachandra Guha, who was appointed by the Supreme Court as one of the four administrators of BCCI, informed the top court today that he had resigned from the post due to personal reasons.

Guha had been appointed by the top court to run the affairs of BCCI and implement court-approved recommendations on reforms in the cash-rich cricket body.

The speculation surrounding Kumble, whose&nbsp;&nbsp;future has become a matter of conjecture after reports of the rift with Kohli are suspected to be one of the reasons for Guha&#39;s exit. 
 
(WION) 
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The BCCI officials arrive in Birmingham today and will return after India's match with?Pakistan match on Sunday

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly sent three of its officials to England to resolve the alleged differences between Team India captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble, a media report claimed on Thursday. The two officials, chief of the BCCI Committee of Administrators Vinod Rai and general manager (cricket operations) Dr MV Sridhar, are making an unscheduled trip to England ahead of India's Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan on June 4. Acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary's visit to England was planned in advance while Dr MV Sridhar's visit has been scheduled now, official sources told Indian daily mid-day.com. Sridhar, who has played 97 first-class matches, is highly respected by the players and may facilitate Vinod Rai's interactions with the coach and captain. The BCCI officials will reach Birmingham today and will return after India's match with Pakistan match on Sunday. Meanwhile, historian Ramachandra Guha, who was appointed by the Supreme Court as one of the four administrators of BCCI, informed the top court today that he had resigned from the post due to personal reasons. Guha had been appointed by the top court to run the affairs of BCCI and implement court-approved recommendations on reforms in the cash-rich cricket body. The speculation surrounding Kumble, whose future has become a matter of conjecture after reports of the rift with Kohli are suspected to be one of the reasons for Guha's exit. (WION)

BCCI sends peacemakers to England to resolve differences between Virat Kohli, coach Kumble: Report

Virender Sehwag today became the most notable applicant for the Indian cricket team&#39;s chief coach&#39;s post, which would be technically vacant when Anil Kumble&#39;s term comes to an end after the Champions Trophy.

&nbsp;Others in the fray are former Australian cricketer Tom Moody and English cricket coach Richard Pybus, who has coached Pakistan earlier.

The two Indians among the applicants are former fast bowler Dodda Ganesh and former India A coach Lalchand Rajput.

Moody and Rajput had applied for the chief coach&#39;s job last year also but it was Kumble who got the nod.

However, the entry of Sehwag -- considered to be one of India&#39;s greatest ever game changers -- makes the battle for the position very interesting.

One of India&#39;s biggest match-winners and a part of two-time World Cup winning team, Sehwag played 104 Tests and 251 ODIs for India, scoring 8586 and 8273 runs.

He doesn&#39;t have any prior coaching experience apart from mentoring IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab recently, it was the BCCI top brass that convinced him to apply for the post.

It&#39;s the same kind of scenario when Ravi Shastri seemed all set to be retained as coach and Kumble was asked to throw his hat in the ring at the eleventh hour.

The BCCI joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary today on record denied any rift between Kumble and captain Virat Kohli.

However, the fact that a player of Sehwag&#39;s stature has applied gives enough indication that everything is not right in the Indian dressing room.

Sehwag will only apply when he knows that he is a serious contender for the top job.

It will be interesting if Kumble finally appears for the interview knowing that Sehwag has applied for the post.

However many in BCCI feel that Sehwag, who is also a social media sensation, may demand an astronomical salary and then Moody, who gave a good presentation last time also, could come into the fray.

It may well happen that Moody, a proven international and IPL coach (Sri Lanka and Sunrisers Hyderabad) may be considered for the job.

Moody has been compared to John Wright and Gary Kirsten, two of the successful coaches of India. He is soft-spoken, more of a backroom man with a pleasing personality.

A two-time World Cup winner (1987 and 1999), 52-year-old Moody was an important member of Australia&#39;s limited overs side till the late 90&#39;s, representing the country in 76 ODIs.

Pybus doesn&#39;t have great cricketing pedigree, having played only one first-class match but is rated highly as a strategist. He has coached the Pakistan national side twice.

Rajput and Ganesh could at best be the fillers with the latter being an aspirant for the fast bowling coach&#39;s job.

However if Zaheer Khan is ever keen to take up the job, then BCCI may not look elsewhere.

The interviews are supposed to be held in England only. A few may join the interview via Skype.

Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, part of the cricket advisory committee, and Sehwag are currently in England as part of the commentary team for the Star Sports in the Champions Trophy. 
 
(PTI)

Others in the fray are former Australian cricketer Tom Moody and English cricket coach Richard Pybus, who has coached Pakistan earlier.

Virender Sehwag today became the most notable applicant for the Indian cricket team's chief coach's post, which would be technically vacant when Anil Kumble's term comes to an end after the Champions Trophy. Others in the fray are former Australian cricketer Tom Moody and English cricket coach Richard Pybus, who has coached Pakistan earlier. The two Indians among the applicants are former fast bowler Dodda Ganesh and former India A coach Lalchand Rajput. Moody and Rajput had applied for the chief coach's job last year also but it was Kumble who got the nod. However, the entry of Sehwag -- considered to be one of India's greatest ever game changers -- makes the battle for the position very interesting. One of India's biggest match-winners and a part of two-time World Cup winning team, Sehwag played 104 Tests and 251 ODIs for India, scoring 8586 and 8273 runs. He doesn't have any prior coaching experience apart from mentoring IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab recently, it was the BCCI top brass that convinced him to apply for the post. It's the same kind of scenario when Ravi Shastri seemed all set to be retained as coach and Kumble was asked to throw his hat in the ring at the eleventh hour. The BCCI joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary today on record denied any rift between Kumble and captain Virat Kohli. However, the fact that a player of Sehwag's stature has applied gives enough indication that everything is not right in the Indian dressing room. Sehwag will only apply when he knows that he is a serious contender for the top job. It will be interesting if Kumble finally appears for the interview knowing that Sehwag has applied for the post. However many in BCCI feel that Sehwag, who is also a social media sensation, may demand an astronomical salary and then Moody, who gave a good presentation last time also, could come into the fray. It may well happen that Moody, a proven international and IPL coach (Sri Lanka and Sunrisers Hyderabad) may be considered for the job. Moody has been compared to John Wright and Gary Kirsten, two of the successful coaches of India. He is soft-spoken, more of a backroom man with a pleasing personality. A two-time World Cup winner (1987 and 1999), 52-year-old Moody was an important member of Australia's limited overs side till the late 90's, representing the country in 76 ODIs. Pybus doesn't have great cricketing pedigree, having played only one first-class match but is rated highly as a strategist. He has coached the Pakistan national side twice. Rajput and Ganesh could at best be the fillers with the latter being an aspirant for the fast bowling coach's job. However if Zaheer Khan is ever keen to take up the job, then BCCI may not look elsewhere. The interviews are supposed to be held in England only. A few may join the interview via Skype. Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, part of the cricket advisory committee, and Sehwag are currently in England as part of the commentary team for the Star Sports in the Champions Trophy. (PTI)

Virender Sehwag among top contenders for Team India coach: BCCI

India&#39;s coach Anil Kumble gave a measured response on Friday after his team`s spectacular collapse against Australia in the opening Test, calling it just one bad day for his world No -1 team.

Replying to Australia&#39;s 260, India, unbeaten in their previous 19 Tests, lost their last seven wickets for 11 runs to be bundled out for 105 in their first innings.

India&#39;s meltdown started after lunch when opener Lokesh Rahul departed after a well-made 64 as Australia left-arm spinner Steve O&#39;Keefe wreaked havoc with six wickets for 35.&nbsp;

&quot;You are bound to have one bad day. It was disappointing,&quot; former India captain and leg-spinner Kumble said.&nbsp;

&quot;We were in a pretty decent position when Rahul and Ajinkya (Rahane) were batting out there. But once Rahul got out, we lost those four wickets in five or six balls. That certainty pushed us back,&quot; he said, referring to the pitch as &quot;challenging&quot;.

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Indian coach Anil Kumble gave a measured response after India&#39;s spectacular collapse against Australia in the opening test, calling it just one bad day (WION)
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The hosts also dropped four catches in Australia&#39;s second innings, including three missed chances with world No- 1 batsman Steve Smith to compound their problems.

Smith remained unbeaten on 59 with the touring side leading by 298 runs. India are staring at a steep four-innings target on a wicket providing prodigious turn for the spin bowlers.&nbsp;Kumble was backing his side, who have won their last six series, to chase down any target.

&quot;We would like to restrict them to as little as possible (on Saturday),&quot; Kumble said. &quot;We dropped a few catches. It has hurt us in the past, especially in this game you need to hold your chances even if half chances.&quot; 
The pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium has attracted a great deal of criticism on its debut as a Test centre but Kumble, India&#39;s highest wicket-taker in Tests, refused to blame the surface.

&quot;It is a challenging surface which requires application, aggression and a bit of caution as well. You need a mix out of that,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;We have to give credit to the Australian bowlers as well.&quot;&nbsp;

Playing only his fifth Test and first in India, O&#39;Keefe took all his wickets in the space of 24 deliveries, including three in an over, to trigger a spectacular collapse and help Australia bundle out India for 105 in their first innings.

Australian bowler O&#39;Keefe said he expected Indians to come back hard at them in the next innings, as the team included world class batsmen.

&quot;We had a good day but that is all it is -- just a good day of cricket. We know how good this Indian team is. How well they can bat and even in the spinning conditions. They are exceptional players-- all are match winners -- top seven batters. You can even argue (Ravindra) Jadeja. We have got our work cut out for us. With 300 runs ahead, let us get more and must create ten chances tomorrow and hold onto them,&quot; O&#39;Keefe said.

The touring side, who have lost their last nine Tests in Asia and were considered underdogs before the start of the four-match series, reached 143 for four at stumps in their second innings, an overall lead of 298 runs. 
&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Replying to Australia's 260, India lost their last seven wickets for 11 runs to be bundled out for 105 on Day-2 of the Pune Test

India's coach Anil Kumble gave a measured response on Friday after his team`s spectacular collapse against Australia in the opening Test, calling it just one bad day for his world No -1 team. Replying to Australia's 260, India, unbeaten in their previous 19 Tests, lost their last seven wickets for 11 runs to be bundled out for 105 in their first innings. India's meltdown started after lunch when opener Lokesh Rahul departed after a well-made 64 as Australia left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe wreaked havoc with six wickets for 35. "You are bound to have one bad day. It was disappointing," former India captain and leg-spinner Kumble said. "We were in a pretty decent position when Rahul and Ajinkya (Rahane) were batting out there. But once Rahul got out, we lost those four wickets in five or six balls. That certainty pushed us back," he said, referring to the pitch as "challenging". Indian coach Anil Kumble gave a measured response after India's spectacular collapse against Australia in the opening test, calling it just one bad day (WION) × The hosts also dropped four catches in Australia's second innings, including three missed chances with world No- 1 batsman Steve Smith to compound their problems. Smith remained unbeaten on 59 with the touring side leading by 298 runs. India are staring at a steep four-innings target on a wicket providing prodigious turn for the spin bowlers. Kumble was backing his side, who have won their last six series, to chase down any target. "We would like to restrict them to as little as possible (on Saturday)," Kumble said. "We dropped a few catches. It has hurt us in the past, especially in this game you need to hold your chances even if half chances." The pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium has attracted a great deal of criticism on its debut as a Test centre but Kumble, India's highest wicket-taker in Tests, refused to blame the surface. "It is a challenging surface which requires application, aggression and a bit of caution as well. You need a mix out of that," he said. "We have to give credit to the Australian bowlers as well." Playing only his fifth Test and first in India, O'Keefe took all his wickets in the space of 24 deliveries, including three in an over, to trigger a spectacular collapse and help Australia bundle out India for 105 in their first innings. Australian bowler O'Keefe said he expected Indians to come back hard at them in the next innings, as the team included world class batsmen. "We had a good day but that is all it is -- just a good day of cricket. We know how good this Indian team is. How well they can bat and even in the spinning conditions. They are exceptional players-- all are match winners -- top seven batters. You can even argue (Ravindra) Jadeja. We have got our work cut out for us. With 300 runs ahead, let us get more and must create ten chances tomorrow and hold onto them," O'Keefe said. The touring side, who have lost their last nine Tests in Asia and were considered underdogs before the start of the four-match series, reached 143 for four at stumps in their second innings, an overall lead of 298 runs. (Reuters)

Bound to have one bad day, says Kumble after India's batting collapse

Cricket pitches need to be more bowler-friendly if the rising imbalance between bat and ball is to be addressed, Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar has said. 
 
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) world cricket committee on Tuesday recommended limitations on the thickness and depth of bats amid concerns that the sport has tilted heavily in favour of the batsmen in recent years.&nbsp;A report commissioned by the MCC, the guardian of the game&#39;s laws, in 2014 found the thickness of bats had marginally increased in the last century and that edges had broadened by 300 per cent, meaning even mistimed shots could still find the boundary. 
 
Tendulkar, who quit international cricket in 2013 as the game&#39;s most prolific batsman both in tests and the 50-over format, demanded more assistance for the bowlers from the playing surface. 
 
&quot;The wickets need to change; they need to be more helpful for bowlers,&quot; Tendulkar said.&nbsp;&quot;In T20s, the greatest of bowlers are being reverse-swept. Three-hundred is no longer competitive in ODIs.&nbsp;So there should be at least one format where bowlers have a better chance of executing their skills and making it more interesting for spectators.&nbsp;I don&#39;t think it&#39;s got much to do with bats, but I&#39;m sure people on the (relevant) panel will be able to look into it.&quot; 
 
Tendulkar&#39;s views echoed the sentiments of Australian opener David Warner who said last week that flat pitches rather than bats with thicker edges are the reason batsmen have the upper hand in test cricket. 
 
Tendulkar was part of the panel that recommended Anil Kumble for the India coach&#39;s job and he expects the team to benefit from the vast experience of the former leg-spinner. 
 
&quot;A fabulous player, a hard competitor and will not make any compromises on the field,&quot; Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo. &quot;He will be out there to win each and every moment.&nbsp;He played for almost 20 years, so there is plenty to share. I&#39;ll just tell the players to grasp as much information from Anil as possible.&quot; 
 
Kumble, who came out to bowl with a bandaged jaw in a 2002 Antigua test, can also teach the players how to handle adversity, said Tendulkar. 
 
&quot;There are always big, crunch moments in any match and how to approach those moments is important,&quot; Tendulkar said.&nbsp;&quot;In sport, over a period of time what you learn is not every day you are successful, sometimes you have to face failures.&nbsp;It is all about being a tough character and be able to stand back on your feet again and to compete the next day. Every day is a fresh day, new beginning. That is something I feel Anil will teach them.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Marylebone Cricket Club world cricket committee recommended limitations on thickness and depth of bats which give upper hand to batsmen

Cricket pitches need to be more bowler-friendly if the rising imbalance between bat and ball is to be addressed, Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar has said. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) world cricket committee on Tuesday recommended limitations on the thickness and depth of bats amid concerns that the sport has tilted heavily in favour of the batsmen in recent years. A report commissioned by the MCC, the guardian of the game's laws, in 2014 found the thickness of bats had marginally increased in the last century and that edges had broadened by 300 per cent, meaning even mistimed shots could still find the boundary. Tendulkar, who quit international cricket in 2013 as the game's most prolific batsman both in tests and the 50-over format, demanded more assistance for the bowlers from the playing surface. "The wickets need to change; they need to be more helpful for bowlers," Tendulkar said. "In T20s, the greatest of bowlers are being reverse-swept. Three-hundred is no longer competitive in ODIs. So there should be at least one format where bowlers have a better chance of executing their skills and making it more interesting for spectators. I don't think it's got much to do with bats, but I'm sure people on the (relevant) panel will be able to look into it." Tendulkar's views echoed the sentiments of Australian opener David Warner who said last week that flat pitches rather than bats with thicker edges are the reason batsmen have the upper hand in test cricket. Tendulkar was part of the panel that recommended Anil Kumble for the India coach's job and he expects the team to benefit from the vast experience of the former leg-spinner. "A fabulous player, a hard competitor and will not make any compromises on the field," Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo. "He will be out there to win each and every moment. He played for almost 20 years, so there is plenty to share. I'll just tell the players to grasp as much information from Anil as possible." Kumble, who came out to bowl with a bandaged jaw in a 2002 Antigua test, can also teach the players how to handle adversity, said Tendulkar. "There are always big, crunch moments in any match and how to approach those moments is important," Tendulkar said. "In sport, over a period of time what you learn is not every day you are successful, sometimes you have to face failures. It is all about being a tough character and be able to stand back on your feet again and to compete the next day. Every day is a fresh day, new beginning. That is something I feel Anil will teach them." (Reuters)

Former Indian cricketer Tendulkar calls for bowler-friendly pitches

The raging feud between two former Indian captains today turned uglier after Sourav Ganguly lashed out at Ravi Shastri saying the Mumbaikar was &quot;living in a fool&#39;s world&quot; if he held him responsible for not getting the coveted India coach&#39;s job. 
 
Being pipped by Anil Kumble for chief coach&#39;s post, Shastri created a controversy when he said that, Ganguly, part of the three-member high-powered Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was not present during his interview which he found to be &quot;disrespectful&quot;. 
 
Not one to pull back punches, a furious Ganguly today gave it back to Shastri questioning the former India all-rounder&#39;s &quot;seriousness&quot; while giving an interview while &quot;holidaying in Bangkok&quot;. 
 
&quot;I just feel his (Shastri) comments are very personal. If Ravi Shastri feels that Sourav Ganguly was responsible for him not being the India coach, he is living in a fool&#39;s world,&quot; an angry Ganguly told TV channels today. 
 
One of India&#39;s most celebrated captains was even more terse while rebutting Shastri&#39;s suggestion that next time, he should be &quot;present&quot; when an interview is being conducted. 
 
&quot;It angers me that he gave a suggestion that I should be available for such meetings. I have been a part of BCCI meetings for some time and I have always been available. My advice to Ravi is that when the coach of India is selected and one of the most important jobs, he should be in front of the committee and not sit in Bangkok and give a presentation while being on a holiday,&quot; Ganguly said. 
 
Taking a a dig at Shastri&#39;s casual approach, Ganguly said that the former Team Director could have been present in person &quot;especially when one of India&#39;s greatest cricketers of all time spoke for two hours. I am hurt because of personal attacks. 
 
&quot;I read in a couple of newspapers and chose to ignore it. I am extremely saddened that he went on air to express his view. Specially someone who has been in every BCCI committee for the last 20 years. He has been in my position for selecting the coach 10 years back. He is aware of everything. I informed BCCI on June 19th and I have got official mails. I will circulate those mails once I get a clearance from BCCI,&quot; Ganguly said. 
 
Ganguly then went onto add,&quot;I don&#39;t know whether he is serious or not serious, but I hope he was if he wanted one of the most important jobs in the game. But if he is talking about respect, then he should have been here as well.&quot; 
 
&quot;When you have a three-member committee and important people are involved in the decision making, then it is not just about Sourav Ganguly, so these personal remarks have been very saddening.&quot; 
 
On Shastri making comments on public domain against him, Ganguly said: &quot;He should have shown a bit more maturity, especially for someone who has been in such committees for more than 10 years.&quot; 
 
On Anil Kumble starting his stint as Indian coach, Ganguly said: &quot;I wish him all the luck. As I said he is the best in the world. He is one of the champions of Indian cricket and he will take this team forward.&quot; 
 
Ganguly did not give a direct answer to the queries about it his animosity with Shastri being an open secret in Indian cricket. 
 
&quot;From my side, I have never gone on to make any comments to the media.&quot; 
 
Ganguly then also gave his account of the itinerary of that day. 
 
&quot;I had informed BCCI that there was a CAB Working Committee meeting that day. Being a president of CAB, I had to chair the meeting.&nbsp;Also the notification for a Working Committee is always given 14 days in advance whereas this meeting was fixed two days in advance.&nbsp;Ravi&#39;s meeting was scheduled at 4:15 pm, and I guess Ravi has got that received as well. BCCI had sent him the time. 
 
&quot;Now while interviewing other candidates, it went past 5 pm and I came out of the meeting. Then Mister (Ajay) Shirke (BCCI secretary) called me and said that others (Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and co-ordinator Sanjay Jagdale) are requesting if they can continue (with the interviews). I said &#39;fine, let&#39;s do that as it happens everywhere in the world&#39;. That&#39;s exactly what happened and I feel comments are very personal in nature.&quot; 
 
(PTI)

Sourav Ganguly lashed out at Ravi Shastri saying he's 'living in a fool's world' if he held him responsible for not getting coach job

The raging feud between two former Indian captains today turned uglier after Sourav Ganguly lashed out at Ravi Shastri saying the Mumbaikar was "living in a fool's world" if he held him responsible for not getting the coveted India coach's job. Being pipped by Anil Kumble for chief coach's post, Shastri created a controversy when he said that, Ganguly, part of the three-member high-powered Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was not present during his interview which he found to be "disrespectful". Not one to pull back punches, a furious Ganguly today gave it back to Shastri questioning the former India all-rounder's "seriousness" while giving an interview while "holidaying in Bangkok". "I just feel his (Shastri) comments are very personal. If Ravi Shastri feels that Sourav Ganguly was responsible for him not being the India coach, he is living in a fool's world," an angry Ganguly told TV channels today. One of India's most celebrated captains was even more terse while rebutting Shastri's suggestion that next time, he should be "present" when an interview is being conducted. "It angers me that he gave a suggestion that I should be available for such meetings. I have been a part of BCCI meetings for some time and I have always been available. My advice to Ravi is that when the coach of India is selected and one of the most important jobs, he should be in front of the committee and not sit in Bangkok and give a presentation while being on a holiday," Ganguly said. Taking a a dig at Shastri's casual approach, Ganguly said that the former Team Director could have been present in person "especially when one of India's greatest cricketers of all time spoke for two hours. I am hurt because of personal attacks. "I read in a couple of newspapers and chose to ignore it. I am extremely saddened that he went on air to express his view. Specially someone who has been in every BCCI committee for the last 20 years. He has been in my position for selecting the coach 10 years back. He is aware of everything. I informed BCCI on June 19th and I have got official mails. I will circulate those mails once I get a clearance from BCCI," Ganguly said. Ganguly then went onto add,"I don't know whether he is serious or not serious, but I hope he was if he wanted one of the most important jobs in the game. But if he is talking about respect, then he should have been here as well." "When you have a three-member committee and important people are involved in the decision making, then it is not just about Sourav Ganguly, so these personal remarks have been very saddening." On Shastri making comments on public domain against him, Ganguly said: "He should have shown a bit more maturity, especially for someone who has been in such committees for more than 10 years." On Anil Kumble starting his stint as Indian coach, Ganguly said: "I wish him all the luck. As I said he is the best in the world. He is one of the champions of Indian cricket and he will take this team forward." Ganguly did not give a direct answer to the queries about it his animosity with Shastri being an open secret in Indian cricket. "From my side, I have never gone on to make any comments to the media." Ganguly then also gave his account of the itinerary of that day. "I had informed BCCI that there was a CAB Working Committee meeting that day. Being a president of CAB, I had to chair the meeting. Also the notification for a Working Committee is always given 14 days in advance whereas this meeting was fixed two days in advance. Ravi's meeting was scheduled at 4:15 pm, and I guess Ravi has got that received as well. BCCI had sent him the time. "Now while interviewing other candidates, it went past 5 pm and I came out of the meeting. Then Mister (Ajay) Shirke (BCCI secretary) called me and said that others (Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and co-ordinator Sanjay Jagdale) are requesting if they can continue (with the interviews). I said 'fine, let's do that as it happens everywhere in the world'. That's exactly what happened and I feel comments are very personal in nature." (PTI)

Former India captains engage in war of words

Unperturbed over the length of his contract as India&#39;s new head coach, former spinner Anil Kumble believes he has enough time and matches to make an impact. 
 
Kumble, whose only coaching experience has been as mentor of the Mumbai and Bangalore teams in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, was given a one-year term last week. 
 
For the post, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) received 57 applications which were made available to an advisory panel that included former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and former batsman VVS Laxman. 
 
The BCCI said Kumble was handed a one-year contract so they could review their options for one of world cricket&#39;s most challenging jobs at the end of that period. 
 
&quot;I am talking about a journey,&quot; former India skipper Kumble told reporters in his first press conference on Wednesday after bagging the job. &quot;There are 17 test matches in the next 12 months. 
 
&quot;I just look at that as an opportunity to gain experience and contribute to Indian cricket,&quot; he asserted.&nbsp; 
 
Confident about team&#39;s potential as he braces up for upcoming&nbsp;assignment&nbsp; 
 
Kumble&#39;s first assignment will be a four-test series in West Indies, after which India is set for a bumper season of home action when they will be playing 13 test matches, eight ODIs and three T20 internationals. 
 
These start with three tests against New Zealand, while England and Australia will play five and four matches respectively. Bangladesh will also play a one-off test. 
 
India won their last test series in the Caribbean 1-0 and Kumble was confident they would return victorious again. 
 
&quot;When I became captain, I never thought if I will be captain for a year or longer,&quot; the 45-year-old said. &quot;This team has potential and we will go for wins in those 17 matches. 
 
&quot;There will be some hard moments but I am sure we will come out of those.&quot; 
 
Former leg-spinner Kumble, who heads the International Cricket Council&#39;s (ICC) cricket committee, is believed to be India&#39;s most successful bowler, capturing 619 wickets in 132 tests and 337 from 271 one-day internationals. 
 
 
Kumble hopes to assist captain in terms of &#39;strategy&#39;, &#39;progression&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Taking 20 wickets in tests have always been a challenge for touring India side and Kumble hoped his experience would come in handy. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s important the bowling group believe that they are leaders, which they are... just the mindset and whatever needs to be done,&quot; he added. &quot;The experiences I have had as a captain or as a player will certainly help in sharing those. 
 
He further added saying, &quot;It&#39; s a different role... I understand the role of staying in the background and it&#39;s the captain who takes all the calls on the field.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I will only assist him by giving him whatever necessary information there is in terms of strategy, progression,&quot; Kumble stressed.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Former leg-spinner Kumble, who heads the ICC cricket committee, is believed to be India's most successful bowler

Unperturbed over the length of his contract as India's new head coach, former spinner Anil Kumble believes he has enough time and matches to make an impact. Kumble, whose only coaching experience has been as mentor of the Mumbai and Bangalore teams in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, was given a one-year term last week. For the post, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) received 57 applications which were made available to an advisory panel that included former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and former batsman VVS Laxman. The BCCI said Kumble was handed a one-year contract so they could review their options for one of world cricket's most challenging jobs at the end of that period. "I am talking about a journey," former India skipper Kumble told reporters in his first press conference on Wednesday after bagging the job. "There are 17 test matches in the next 12 months. "I just look at that as an opportunity to gain experience and contribute to Indian cricket," he asserted. Confident about team's potential as he braces up for upcoming assignment Kumble's first assignment will be a four-test series in West Indies, after which India is set for a bumper season of home action when they will be playing 13 test matches, eight ODIs and three T20 internationals. These start with three tests against New Zealand, while England and Australia will play five and four matches respectively. Bangladesh will also play a one-off test. India won their last test series in the Caribbean 1-0 and Kumble was confident they would return victorious again. "When I became captain, I never thought if I will be captain for a year or longer," the 45-year-old said. "This team has potential and we will go for wins in those 17 matches. "There will be some hard moments but I am sure we will come out of those." Former leg-spinner Kumble, who heads the International Cricket Council's (ICC) cricket committee, is believed to be India's most successful bowler, capturing 619 wickets in 132 tests and 337 from 271 one-day internationals. Kumble hopes to assist captain in terms of 'strategy', 'progression' Taking 20 wickets in tests have always been a challenge for touring India side and Kumble hoped his experience would come in handy. "It's important the bowling group believe that they are leaders, which they are... just the mindset and whatever needs to be done," he added. "The experiences I have had as a captain or as a player will certainly help in sharing those. He further added saying, "It' s a different role... I understand the role of staying in the background and it's the captain who takes all the calls on the field." "I will only assist him by giving him whatever necessary information there is in terms of strategy, progression," Kumble stressed. (Reuters)

Indian coach Kumble: Enough time, matches for me to make impact

Former captain Anil Kumble will be India&#39;s head coach for the next year, the country&#39;s cricket board, (BCCI) said today. 
 
&quot;After discussions we have taken a final call that for one year Anil Kumble will be the head coach,&quot; BCCI President Anurag Thakur told reporters in Dharamsala. 
 
Former leg-spinner Kumble, 45, is India&#39;s most successful bowler and took 619 wickets in 132 tests and 337 from 271 one-day internationals. 
 
The coach&#39;s post was vacant since Ravi Shastri&#39;s tenure as the team director ended with India&#39;s semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year. 
 
The board had received 57 applications for the post. The applications were made available to an advisory panel that included former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and former batsman VVS Laxman. 
 
(Reuters)

The post was vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure as the team director ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 this year

Former captain Anil Kumble will be India's head coach for the next year, the country's cricket board, (BCCI) said today. "After discussions we have taken a final call that for one year Anil Kumble will be the head coach," BCCI President Anurag Thakur told reporters in Dharamsala. Former leg-spinner Kumble, 45, is India's most successful bowler and took 619 wickets in 132 tests and 337 from 271 one-day internationals. The coach's post was vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure as the team director ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year. The board had received 57 applications for the post. The applications were made available to an advisory panel that included former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and former batsman VVS Laxman. (Reuters)

Anil Kumble appointed head coach of Indian cricket team

A panel including former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly will select India&#39;s next head coach from a shortlist of 21 candidates by June 22, said&nbsp;the the Board of Control for&nbsp;Cricket&nbsp;in India&nbsp;(BCCI). 
 
The BCCI received 57 applications and despite recommending a smaller pool of nominees, all of the petitions will still be available to a panel which also includes former test batsman VVS Laxman, said&nbsp;board secretary Ajay Shirke in a statement. 
 
The post has been vacant since Ravi Shastri&#39;s tenure as the team director ended with India&#39;s semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year. 
 
Shastri has thrown his hat in the ring once more, while former captain Anil Kumble and chief selector Sandeep Patil have also confirmed they were keen to take on one of the most challenging jobs in international cricket. 
(Reuters)

The post has been vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament earlier this year

A panel including former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly will select India's next head coach from a shortlist of 21 candidates by June 22, said the the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The BCCI received 57 applications and despite recommending a smaller pool of nominees, all of the petitions will still be available to a panel which also includes former test batsman VVS Laxman, said board secretary Ajay Shirke in a statement. The post has been vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure as the team director ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year. Shastri has thrown his hat in the ring once more, while former captain Anil Kumble and chief selector Sandeep Patil have also confirmed they were keen to take on one of the most challenging jobs in international cricket. (Reuters)

21 candidates shortlisted for Indian cricket head coach's role

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