London: Anil Kumble has stepped down from his position as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, just two days after their humiliating loss at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan, in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.
Kumble’s one-year contract came to an end after the conclusion of the Champions Trophy, but he had been offered an extension till the end of India’s tour of West Indies, which is set to get underway on Friday.
“We wish to place on record our sincere appreciation for the immense contribution by Anil Kumble to the team which enabled India to attain the No.1 Test position," said BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary in a statement. "Indian cricket needs his continued contribution in various capacities and wishes him all the best in his future endeavour.”
The BCCI also confirmed that MV Sridhar is set to serve as the interim head coach during India's tour of West Indies; assistant coach Sanjay Bangar is also set to remain in his post.
Interestingly, the Indian cricket team had flown to the Caribbean for the tour, but Kumble was the only one who stayed back in London for an ICC meet.
The former India captain had been embroiled in controversy ahead of the multi-nation ODI tournament, with reports suggesting a rift with current Team India skipper Virat Kohli (and a number of other cricketers).
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had invited applications for the Team India head coach post, with Kumble getting a direct entry into the interview, which is set to be taken by the BCCI-appointed Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising of Kumble’s former India teammates – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
Kumble had had a stellar performance with the Indian cricket team during his year in-charge, as he helped the side get series wins against West Indies, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, and Australia. Under his tenure, India also enjoyed a fantastic run to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, where they eventually ended runners-up to arch-rivals Pakistan.
