'Virat Kohli said Anil Kumble was too much of a disciplinarian, young players were intimidated': Vinod Rai in his book

Vinod Rai, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), who also served as the head of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) that ran Indian cricket for nearly three years since 2017, said Kohli had reservations with Kumble's 'disciplinarian' way of handling things.

The relationship between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble has been one of the most talked-about chapters in Indian cricket's recent history. Despite the team's good show in the West Indies and also in the Champions Trophy in England, Kumble's untimely resignation as the head coach of Team India citing an "untenable relationship" with then captain Kohli, shook the cricketing world. Shedding light on the episode, Vinod Rai, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), who also served as the head of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) that ran Indian cricket for nearly three years since 2017, said Kohli had reservations with Kumble's “disciplinarian” way of handling things.

File photo of Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli (PTI)

“In my conversations with the captain and team management, it was conveyed that Kumble was too much of a disciplinarian and hence the team members were not too happy with him," wrote Rai in his book, Not Just a Nightwatchman — My Innings in the BCCI, according to the Indian Express.

The former IAS officer also goes on to add that Kohli mentioned about young players being "intimated" by Kumble, still India's highest wicket-taker in both Tests and ODIs.

"I had spoken to Virat Kohli on the issue and he did mention that the younger members of the team felt intimidated by the way he worked with them,” Rai added.

Kumble, who had taken over as India's head coach in 2016, decided to step down from the position after the 2017 Champions Trophy, in which India lost to Pakistan in the final.

Rai wrote that the legendary leg-spinner was "upset about the manner in which the entire episode was handled."

“We had long conversations with Kumble after he had returned from the UK. He was obviously upset about the manner in which the entire episode had panned out. He felt he had been unfairly treated and a captain or team should not be given so much importance. It was the duty of the coach to bring discipline and professionalism into the team and as a senior, his views should have been respected by the players,” Rai wrote.