Black box missing in Kumble-Kohli affair

What has come out in the open is only the tip of the iceberg. Neither is Kohli’s explanation of the style of functioning detailed anywhere nor is it there in Kumble’s tweet which detailed the circumstances that led to his decision. 

The black box of the entire Kumble-Kohli affair is missing as the coach’s letter says the captain was not happy about the coach’s practices. Whether it is off the field or on it, is a matter of conjecture. Whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India knows the exact areas where the two individuals disagreed is also not known. 

Probably, the two parties and the medium (BCCI) could well be not sure of the real reason for the big incident. One of the most significant differences between Kumble and his predecessors when he took over was that he wanted transparency in all matters. 

When India toured the West Indies last year, the coach was seen posting pictures and comments (not team details or anything of that sort) on the social media. He was always seen with a camera in hand and the millions of cricket followers and the media alike had some information (again not inside matters) on the whereabouts of the team. It was simply on the team landing at a place or some leisure activities. 

Slowly, when it came back for the home season, the intensity of the posts came down. But this cannot be the reason for the captain-coach divide. Cricketers who know him well aver that he is not the one to intrude into the captain’s domain in any way. 

Of late, he did come out in public asking for a raise in fee for himself and also for the captain, which could have upset the Board, if not anyone else. So, is it anything related to the coaching style that has irritated the captain? 

If so, both the Board and the captain need to explain to vindicate their stand. It certainly can’t be because Kumble interfered in the selection matters because he knew exactly what his role was. One of the most successful coaches of the Indian team, John Wright, was never a public figure nor known to have ego so in a volatile system where a super captain is likely to throw his weight around, it is adviasable to have someone like him to manage this Indian team and from the list Tom Moody looks a perfect fit to don that role.