Anil Kumble steps down as Indian coach

The Cricket Advisory Committee(CAC) comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman met Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday in a bid to resolve differences between him and head coach Anil Kumble. However, it was reported that the CAC failed to get through to the Delhi batsman who continued his stand over the former leg-spinner.

Kumble did not depart with the Indian cricket team to West Indies today and reportedly stayed behind to attend an ICC meeting. However, according to ANI reports, Kumble has opted to step down as the Indian coach after his contract terminated on Sunday and has chosen to not to reapply for the post.

Kumble took over as head coach of the Indian team in July 2016 and spearheaded India to a Test series victory in West Indies in his first assignment. India registered 10 victories of the 13 Tests in their home season and also rose to the top spot in the Test rankings. India also registered ODI series wins over New Zealand and England and lost only one series- a T20I series against West Indies in Florida and at last week's Champions Trophy, where India failed to beat Pakistan in the finals.

In his illustrious career, which spanned 18 years, Kumble had represented India in 132 Tests and 271 ODIs. Jumbo, who is arguably the greatest bowler India have produced, had picked up a combined total of 956 wickets in Tests and ODIs—third highest in the world after Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan—and also holds the record for the most number of wickets in a calendar year by an Indian in the ODIs with 61 wickets in 1996.

Now, the CAC has to choose one among the five applicants who have applied for the post vacated by the legendary spinner. Apart from former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who had submitted his application for the post, former India batsman Lalchand Raiput, who has earlier coached the India A and Afghanistan side, and Tom Moody, the current coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sri Lanka, were among the high-profile names to apply for the post. Englishman Richard Pybus, who has coached Pakistan twice in his career, had also put forward his name for the lucrative position.