In India, the Coach vs Captain Tug of War Is Designed to Never End

Is the captain always supreme?

(Photo: BCCI)

Context

1) The BCCI has invited applications for appointing a coach for the Indian cricket team
2) Anil Kumble’s one-year term ends in 3 weeks time
3) Last year was the Indian team’s most successful season EVER
4) Kumble maxed his probation period, same as wonder girl Raksha Gopal who scored 99.6 % in the CBSE!
5) Applications close today – 31 May.

Just before Sunday’s crucial India versus Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy game, Indian cricket is rocked by a needless off-field controversy – the 'fallout' between captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble.

According to various reports this rift is a result of clashing egos, contrasting vision and differences in approach and attitude.

Reports across dailies suggest players are unhappy, one reason cited is that Kumble is 'overbearing', authoritative and a hard taskmaster. They feel under him the dressing room has lost the easygoing relaxed cordiality of the Dhoni era.

Also Read: Virat the Reason BCCI is Looking for Coach Kumble’s Replacement?

Not just players though, even the BCCI is unhappy, miffed that the coach has crossed the line to enter areas he ought to have stayed away from. The coach should, they think, stay confined to the dressing room and not enter the board room.

Also Read: Speak Up, Stand Down: Anil Kumble, BCCI’s Latest Victim?

Anil Kumble was appointed as India’s coach in 2016 and was given a tenure of one year. (Photo: BCCI)

Captain First, Coach Later

The Virat-Kumble face-off must be viewed in the larger backdrop of the sensitive coach-captain relationship in cricket. The coach is a relatively recent phenomena (Bishan Bedi was India’s first coach, appointed in 1990) whereas traditionally the captain was King and High Command – the unquestioned boss of the team. The arrival/appointment of the coach meant he had to share the power, align with another person to ensure the team pulled unitedly in the right direction.

In this power-share arrangement it was clear the coach was second in command, never the Commander in Chief, as is the case in football. In cricket, the nuclear button remains with the captain because he makes decisions on the go as play unfolds, whether it is bowling changes or field placements.

The coach is more concerned with the backroom, a manager really, tasked to create the right environment and prepare players in the best possible manner. In filmy terms, the captain is the superstar, the coach only a supporting actor. So much so that Ian Chappell, Imran Khan, and Shane Warne have sneered at the concept of the coach, dismissing him as redundant and superfluous.

Anil Kumble led India to possibly one of the best home seasons. (Photo: BCCI)

Reality Check for Indian Cricket

This captain-is-king situation is most marked in India. So inverted is the coach-captain power structure that traditionally Indian captains have appointed coaches of their choice – instead of the other way around. In the Indian context it is unthinkable that a coach would mess with a Sourav Ganguly or an MSD.

When this delicate balance was breached, as with Greg Chappell, there was turbulence and trouble. The captain-coach strain ended expectedly with the exit of Chappell. John Wright and Gary Kirsten succeeded by embracing the reality of Indian cricket that players and captain come first, the coach can only be second fiddle. Which is why they shunned media attention and stayed in the background, always outside the frame.

The Virat-Kumble issue is not so much about individuals holding divergent positions as it is a reflection of Indian cricket’s fundamental reality.

Coach Anil Kumble is a wonderful professional and an astute cricket thinker. His track record as player and coach is absolutely outstanding. Given this, it is unlikely there is serious competition for the job that has been advertised. Common sentiment does not favour appointment of a foreign candidate and among Indian options Rahul Dravid seems happy with his present assignment and does not want a change of portfolio.

The captain-coach tussle could play out with sane voices (past legends on the selection panel) ensuring egos don't get bruised and by drawing clear lines defining roles/responsibilities of individuals. Whatever the differences and 'unhappiness', one thing is certain: Both Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble are fully committed to taking Indian cricket forward.