My tenure as India coach could have ended in better fashion, asserts Anil Kumble

A titan of Indian cricket, Anil Kumble bowed from his role as Indian head coach after a controversy with Virat Kohli broke out in the media. Although the Cricket Advisory Committee offered him a temporary extension, Kumble resigned from his role in a more dignified way, citing his relationship with Kohli as ‘untenable’. 

Since then both Kohli and Kumble have stayed mum on the matter and the relationship seemed to have only gotten better, with Kumble and his family attending Kohli’s wedding reception just months after that incident. Three years since leaving the role for good, Kumble talked about his coaching tenure and without really going into the details of the matter, he said the end could have been much better than how it did.

"We did really well in that one year period. I was really happy that there were some contributions made and there are no regrets. I was happy moving on from there as well," the former spinner told ex-Zimbabwean cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram conversation.

"I know the end could have been better but then that's fine. As a coach, you realise, when it's time to move on, it's the coach who needs to move on. I was really happy I played a significant role in that one year," he added.

During Kumble’s tenure as Indian head coach, the team lost only one of the 17 Tests they played while winning an away series against Windies. India reached the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy along with reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home. Kumble, who took 619 wickets in 132 Tests and 337 wickets in 271 ODIs for India, added that he was happy about the tenure and for returning to that dressing room again.

“I was very happy that I took up that role (India coach). It was great, the one year I spent with the Indian team was really fantastic. Having been with great performers and again being a part of the Indian dressing room is a great feeling,” Kumble said.