Bishan Singh Bedi fumes over BCCI's decision to invite applications for head coach as Anil Kumble-coached India land in England to defend their CT title
Bishan Singh Bedi
Bishan Singh Bedi had experienced a fair share of high-handedness from cricket officials during his playing career, so nothing surprises him about the moves, curves and subtle turns made by the Indian cricket board.
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But yesterday's call for applications to the post of head coach even as present coach Anil Kumble has just ended one of Indian cricket's most gruelling home seasons (13 Tests) on a high, has got the Sardar of Spin livid.
"Do these people who call the shots at the BCCI, qualify to even tie Kumble's boot laces? Our team has just landed in England to defend their Champions Trophy title and you advertise for candidates… where is the sanity? I am aghast over this attitude," Bedi told mid-day over the phone from New Delhi.
India skipper Virat Kohli (left) and head coach Anil Kumble chat after inspecting the pitch before the Test vs Bangladesh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on February 7.
There is a possibility that the Board has not taken Kumble's reported calls for a higher pay check for himself, skipper Virat Kohli and a vote in the selection committee, in the right spirit and the invitation to head coach aspirants is one way of showing him that he can be replaced. "They (BCCI members) may not agree with him, but to pounce on him now is undesirable. Some people are born to carry chips on their shoulders. I hear the BCCI is not happy. Tell me, is the BCCI happy with BCCI?" asked Bedi, who was cricket manager when Kumble made his Test debut on the 1990 tour of England.
"Just because Kumble has a good rapport with the Committee of Administrators (CoA), you target him. What is wrong with him being close to CoA? Isn't that panel appointed by the Supreme Court of India? Nobody can challenge Kumble's contribution in the last season. He's a very professional analyst and the bottom line is that he's just doing his job," remarked Bedi.
The former India captain didn't spare the CoA as well. "Why is the CoA letting all these officials to call the shots? It's the CoA's prerogative," he said.
Bedi underlined that the BCCI is used to having people toe their line. "When are you going to grow up? And where did you end up after everyone toed your line? You landed at the doors of the Supreme Court."
Watching acting president CK Khanna presenting the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy to Mumbai Indians' skipper Rohit Sharma on Sunday enraged Bedi. "Was there no better person to handover the trophy? Vinod Rai (the CoA chief) should have done the honours." A tongue-in-cheek statement followed: "How can the poor be so rich? This is the height of poverty."
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