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Kohli insists 'respect' for ex-coach

India captain stresses his respect for former coach after removing a year-old post congratulating him on his appointment

Despite going back to delete a tweet of congratulations to Anil Kumble from 12 months ago, India captain Virat Kohli refused to discuss the bitter departure of the head coach on Thursday, insisting he "respects" the former spinner.

Although his contract had come to an end at the conclusion of the Champions Trophy tournament in London last Sunday, Kumble was retained for the forthcoming brief limited-overs tour of the West Indies.

However, he announced his resignation the day after the title-holders succumbed to a crushing 180-run defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in the final at The Oval.

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In announcing his decision, the former leg-spinner said he had been informed by officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that “the captain had reservations with my style and about my continuing as head coach.” 

The issue of an apparent strained relationship between Kohli and Kumble first arose three weeks earlier just prior to the start of the Champions Trophy with reports suggesting that players were uncomfortable with was described as Kumble’s “intimidating” style of man management.

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Kohli caused a stir in the Indian press this week after it was revealed he deleted a tweet, posted on June 23 2016, congratulating Kumble on his appointment 

Image Id: 55423F89A1EC41418D1BFA9F1E9669BF Image Caption: Kohli's (now-deleted) message to Kumble following his appointment as coach last year // Twitter

But speaking to the media on Thursday, Kohli insisted he wouldn't betray the secrecy of the dressing room. 

“What happens in the change room is something that’s very sacred and private to all of us, and something that I would not express in details in a public scenario,” Kohli said in Trinidad.

“His point of view is out there and we respect that decision. I have total respect for him as a cricketer and what he has achieved. There’s no taking away that aspect of him at all and we respect him totally.”

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Had this development and the shock thrashing by Pakistan transpired ahead of a more challenging assignment there might be cause for worry. 

However in the West Indies, the Indians are taking on opponents whose form has dipped alarmingly in the past 12 months to the extent that they have won just three of 16 ODIs during that period and only managed a 1-1 draw in a rain-affected three-match series with Afghanistan in their last campaign.

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That series was played concurrently with the Champions Trophy, serving to highlight the steep decline of the former winners who failed for the first time in 42 years to qualify for a major International Cricket Council event. 

Unless they can upset the form book in five matches against India and a further five ODIs in England in September, the ninth-ranked West Indies also appear doomed to go through the qualifying tournament next year for the 2019 World Cup in England.



“That’s no concern for me. We have to focus on our game and leave India to deal with their own problems,” said West Indies captain Jason Holder when questioned about the circumstances of Kumble’s departure. 

“We have a chance of beating India but only if we deliver on the day in all departments of the game.”

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While they have rested experienced opener Rohit Sharma and exciting fast-medium bowler Jasprit Bumrah from the Champions Trophy squad, India still present an impressive front with strength and experience in all departments compared to a home side short on confidence and top-level exposure.

From their last ODI meeting more than two years ago at the World Cup in Perth - a four-wicket win for India with almost 11 overs to spare - there are only two West Indian survivors in Holder and batsman Jonathan Carter.

In contrast the Indians have as many as eight players from their touring party who featured in that fixture headed by proven match-winners Kohli and wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni. 

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Their vaunted batting line-up was obliterated by Pakistan’s seam attack in the Champions Trophy final but it remains to be seen if the West Indies bowling armoury, shorn of their most potent weapon in injured fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, can present similar challenges on the Queen’s Park Oval pitch for the first two matches, starting Friday.

This is the first bilateral series between the two teams since the West Indies abandoned the scheduled full tour of India after the fourth ODI in Dharamsala in October, 2014 due to a dispute with their own players’ association in which the West Indies Cricket Board declined to intervene. 

Following Sunday’s second match, the teams travel to Antigua for the next two ODIs before the short tour wraps up in Jamaica where the final one-dayer will be played followed by the sole T20 International encounter on July 9.