Guha questions lifting of Kumble's agreement

New Delhi, June 2: The well-known historian Ramchandra Guha, who stepped down from the Management Committee (CoA), attacked the Indian cricket team head coach Anil Kumble has been handled by BCCI, of being "complicit" by its "silence and inaction". In a letter to CoA Chairman Vindo Rai, Guha said the national team's "record this past season has been excellent" and even if the players garner the bulk of the credit, surely the Head Coach and his support staff also deserved some credit.

"In a system based on justice and merit, the Head Coach's term would have been extended. Instead, Kumble was left hanging, and then told the post would be re-advertised afresh," he said in his letter to Rai. Clearly, he said the issue had been handled in an "extremely insensitive and unprofessional manner" by the BCCI CEO and BCCI office-bearers, with the COA, "by its silence and inaction, unfortunately being complicit in this regard".

Recalling the Supreme Court order on January 30 which had expressly mandated the CoA to supervise the management of BCCI, Guha said in case due process had to be followed since Kumble's original appointment was only for one year, "why was this not done during April and May when the IPL was on?. "If indeed the captain and the Head Coach were not getting along, why was this not attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March? Why is the last minute left when a major international tournament is coming?, and Uncertainty suppresses courage and ability to focus on coach, captain and team."

Senior players must give the impression that Veto may have a power over the coach.. "Such veto power is not permitted for any other country or other sports, except for other high-profile professional teams. Already, exit from international standardss, current Indian players enjoy a veto power on who can be the members of the commentary team," he said. "If it's next to coaches, then perhaps selectors and office bearers will also follow?"