AK warned for shooting from the lip

Anil Kumble, India’s Test captain, has been warned by the BCCI for revealing what transpired in a selection meeting. Selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar was unhappy with certain comments that Kumble made to a Mumbai tabloid.

On Friday, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah communicated the board’s displeasure to Kumble. “Dear Anil, I’ve been informed by Chairman that a newspaper has published a story about selection meeting ...attributed to you,” Shah wrote to Kumble. “You are aware that proceedings of the committee are not supposed to be divulged and is certainly not meant for public discussion,” said Shah, before signing off: “As a senior player you should have restrained from such interviews...

In the interview, Kumble had explained the inclusion of two keepers in the squad for Sri Lanka. “As captain, I am aware that there could be problems if the specialist were to pull a muscle or have a runny stomach on the morning of a Test. There was a suggestion Rahul be the second keeper, but I persuaded the committee to view things from Indian cricket’s point of view...I contended there was nothing wrong in taking the additional specialist wicketkeeper. I know Rahul would not like to be saddled with such a responsibility,” Kumble is quoted as saying.